Side By Side
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: "In order to meet the school admission date, Asuna had been going through severe rehabilitation. After her awakening, I frequently visited the hospital, seeing Asuna grit her teeth while tears flowed as she struggled through her training to walk..." -Volume 4 ch 9. A story of the untold hardships Kazuto and Asuna faced during those 5 long weeks. [Thank you for 6 years of support! ]
1. Promise

**After more than 6 years of writing for this website, I've finally reached my 200th story. Since SAO holds a special place in my heart, I've decided to dedicate this special story to one of my favorite couples of all time. It's completed, 6 chapters long, and I will update regularly every week for the next month. **

**Thank you all so much for all of your support over the years! Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online. Spoilers for volume 4 and the end of the anime.**

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Chapter 1. Promise

A light snowfall flurried down from the white skies, as though the clouds had burst and overflowed with frozen crystals.

They floated, spiraling, to the town below known as Saitama, blanketing the bustling streets in a refreshing layer of downy fluff.

Dozens of cars passed by one another on the streets, sending up splashes of slush as they went.

A single bike skirted the sidewalks to avoid the spray, swerving left and right in order to keep from sliding on the occasional patch of ice. The boy in control of the handlebars pedaled harder as he saw his destination in the distance. His black coat fluttered slightly behind him as the cold air blasted his face, tugging his raven-colored hair back as well.

He normally would have welcomed the harsh chill for its rejuvenating side affects, however there was one particular spot of his exposed skin that stung at the contact.

The night before, Kazuto's left cheek had been sliced by the blade of a madman he fought for his very life, as well as for the sake of the person he held dearest in this world. Every gust of wind at present brought a stinging pang of bitter remembrance of the previous night, when he had struggled with Sugou in the parking lot to the very place he was heading to now.

Although when examined, the knife-wound had been declared not deep enough to leave a scar, Kazuto felt he would always remember the feeling of that cruel metal cutting through his skin.

A part of him cringed at the memory, yet the other part of him mustered an ounce of pride from it, as it proved what Kazuto had been fighting for that night in the final battle, and he had won it.

Unknowingly, his lips curled up into a tiny grin as his bike came screeching to a halt at a crosswalk with a red light. He had run the very same red light the night before on his way to the hospital, so as he stopped there now, the scenes from ten hours ago replayed in his mind.

The most prominent emotion that had overwhelmed him at the time was an immense anxiety. He remembered the pulsing fear as he thought of all the possibilities of what he might find waiting for him in that familiar hospital room.

But more than anything, he now remembered the gentle smile she had worn on her pale lips, those tired, yet shimmering hazel eyes that contained her half of their lifetime spent together in the past few years in another world, and the warmth he had felt for the very first time, yet was somehow so perfectly familiar.

He kicked off instantly as the light turned green again, coasting down the snowy sidewalk and around a corner, until he was mere seconds away from the hospital parking lot. Braking, he slowed to a stop near the bike racks and swiftly chained it before adjusting his coat and fixing his hair a bit to appear more presentable. He then dashed for the entrance, the automatic doors allowing him entrance as he hurriedly bounded into the waiting area.

The room was half full of people, young, old, and in-between, but none were presently at the information desk. Kazuto quickly headed toward the open window where a woman in a white outfit sat, typing at a computer.

"Ah, excuse me?" Kazuto raised his voice to be sure that she heard him, and the woman looked up.

"Oh, you're the young man from last night!" Her shocked eyes proved that she had been one of the people in the building when Kazuto had stumbled in after his dangerous scrimmage with Sugou. "I assume you're here again to see Yuuki-san, correct?"

"Yes please." His voice was level, but firm.

The woman at the desk looked him over briefly; she had been working there several years and had seen many kinds of people before, which included frantic boyfriends. She had seen people with all sorts of expressions in their eyes from bored to grave to excited. But she could not ever remember seeing a person with a demeanor such as that of the boy standing before her now.

His eyes were a terrifying mixture of calm and stern, as though he had prepared a list of reasons as to why he should be allowed to the desired room if she were to refuse him. She had only seen him twice before, but she already knew enough about him, the main point being that he would somehow find a way into that hospital room even if she called security on him.

Therefore, she decided to spare herself the trouble and let out a sigh as she leaned forward toward him.

"Her parents are presently visiting to discuss important matters with the nurses." She informed him. "I'll give you the keycard, but you absolutely must not interfere with their conversations."

"Thank you very much." Kazuto bowed his head in deep sincerity as she slid him the card. He clutched it in his palm and let out a long breath, fishing out his resolve, before he took off toward the stairs.

He dashed up the steps as quickly as he had last night, and the memories came rushing back to him yet again as he found himself standing in the hallway that led to her. He did not even need to count the rooms as his feet automatically led him to hers.

However, just before he could slip the key card into the slot on the handle, he heard voices coming from within. Kazuto raised his fist and was about to knock instead, but managed to cease his movements at the lasts second as his ears began to distinguish the words they were speaking.

"The rehabilitation process could take up to three months." The unfamiliar voice was professional and certain, which suggested to Kazuto it was a nurse.

The second voice to speak was a man's voice, and one Kazuto knew quite well by now.

"That won't do." Shouzou Yuuki sounded conflicted. "The new school term for the students involved in the defective games begins in five weeks. She won't be able to begin classes on time."

"Starting late would only mean more work piled up on her when she does begin classes." A third voice spoke next, one Kazuto had heard less often, but knew to be Shouzou's wife, Kyouko. "However, I'm sure she can catch up with the curriculum if she studies hard."

Kazuto had always known this woman to be the strictest in the region. However right now, her voice betrayed the emotions she could simply not suppress, as the concern for her only daughter's well-being manifested itself in her uncertain tone.

"She can do it." Another male voice spoke next. "If there's anything I know, it's that she's the most studious person in town."

"Thank you, Onii-san..." Finally, the fifth and final voice spoke.

It was almost inaudible, and her words were raspy, but upon simply hearing that voice, Kazuto's eyes welled with tears; it was unmistakably the voice of the person he had loved so dearly for over two years.

"But..." here she cut off with a cough, causing a concerned murmur to fill the room, almost concerning enough to have Kazuto rush through the door, but he only just stopped himself. "I'm fine." She said in her familiar reassuring tone, weighed by the sureness of her iron-clad will. "But what I meant to say is... Mother, Father, I _will_ make it in time... for the new school term."

"Don't be ridiculous." Her mother said in a soft scolding voice. "There is no way you could halve the designated rehabilitation time."

"Mother." Her quiet voice may have been scratchy, but it was clear and direct above anything else. "You may not believe me... but I've become stronger over the past two years. I know I can do it."

"Now look here-"

"I'm not being rash, Mother. And I'm not delusional or saying things because I'm tired." Kyouko's daughter refuted her before she could even finish scolding her. "I know I can do this... Please... at least allow me to try."

A long moment of silence followed her genuine request, as though every person in the room was debating the consequences of the girl's words.

Kazuto, too, thought her words were a bit hasty, yet it was precisely something he knew he should have expected from her. Of all the things he knew about her, above all else was the fact that her passionate perseverance was second to none on the planet.

Kazuto was silent as he waited for the responses of her family members and the nurse.

He knew the Yuuki's were practical people, and that they would prefer to heed to the requirements of the hospital's restrictions. However, Kazuto imagined they were feeling the same way he was; as long as she recovered without the risk of any harm, none of them would oppose her trying to cut the recovery time in half.

Another minute passed by in silence, and Kazuto could picture the serious look she must have been giving all of them at that time.

Finally, her elder brother stepped in to support her. "I think she can do it." He said to his parents.

Kazuto assumed the ensuing silence meant they had already decided on their answers.

"I do not think the recovery process can be completed within only five weeks," the nurse spoke in a skeptical voice. "However, if she can recover to a certain point by that time, it's possible to have her attend classes, even if it's in a wheelchair or on crutches, if need be."

Kazuto felt the smile break out across his lips.

Yet another moment passed as the two parents who had yet to speak contemplated their options with their two children eagerly awaiting their replies.

At last, Shouzou spoke in a cautious tone.

"Very well." He agreed.

"But if even the slightest aspect is to hinder the process, it must be called off immediately." Kyouko cut in quickly.

"Mother! Father!"

Kazuto could practically see the thankful glimmer in her hazel irises.

"We would need to begin as soon as possible." The nurse finished.

"I can start today." The girl rasped.

"Perhaps tomorrow." Shouzou suggested.

"Indeed, I think that would be most beneficial." His wife agreed. "For now you should rest and prepare yourself for the long weeks ahead."

"Yes!" Her daughter replied happily. "Thank you..."

Kazuto stepped away from the door as he heard shuffling about on the other side. A moment later, the nurse stepped out into the hallway, followed promptly by the other three members of the Yuuki family.

"Ah, Kirigaya-kun." Shouzou nodded politely when he saw Kazuto. Kazuto instantly bowed back and respectfully addressed him.

"Good morning, Shouzou-san." He then greeted Shouzou's wife and son with just as much respect and courtesy as he could manage. Kyouko returned his greeting with a nod rather than words, but the look in her eyes shielded by her glasses, made Kazuto feel that she approved of his actions of proper greeting as well as coming to visit her daughter. He had only met her a few times, but he liked to believe he was starting to gain her favor.

"Please keep your visit short today." The nurse with glasses and the name tag of 'Risa' requested of him. "However, you're more than welcome to assist in the recovery process for the next several weeks."

"Pardon?" Kazuto was surprised at her words. He had assumed the hospital staff would deter visitors from intruding on such an important procedure.

"It's been proven that patients tend to recover quicker when assisted by someone close to them, rather than strangers on our staff." She explained.

"I know it may be asking much of you," Shouzou addressed Kazuto. "But we would be extremely grateful if you could assist our daughter in this crucial time."

"I have already taken as much time off from work as is allowed." Kyouko added in, sounding almost ashamed. "And my son is supposed to be at University at the moment, and could only take the time to come home until tomorrow."

"We're very sorry to ask this of you," Shouzou spoke again. "But Kirigaya-kun, if you could come to see her, even a few times a week during the day, we would be very appreciative."

Kazuto could hardly believe the words he was hearing.

That entire morning, he had been mentally preparing a discourse for these people. Countless times, he had arranged what he intended to say to them in order to convince them that he was worthy enough to visit their daughter every day for the next five weeks until classes began. He had suppressed his feelings of nervousness until now and prepared himself to do anything necessary in order to convince them.

But for them to directly offer him exactly what he was so prepared to earn... he was honestly dumbfounded for a moment. Yet as he got his bearings, Kazuto realized three expectant pairs of eyes were still on him.

"Ah..." he quickly straightened up, raising his chin proudly as he replied in a serious tone. "Of course I will." He announced. "I'll be here every day from opening till closing hours, and I'll do everything I possibly can in order to see to it that your daughter recovers as quickly and safely as possible." His hands which were clenched into fists at his sides shook slightly as he awaited their replies, praying the truth in his words had reached them.

"Well said." Shouzou nodded in approval.

"It will be a significant burden lifted from my mind in knowing she'll be in capable hands." When Kyouko muttered these words, Kazuto felt almost as though it were a dream.

"T...Thank you for allowing me to stay by her side." He bowed again.

As the two of them offered their gratitude one more time, their son Kouichirou then stopped briefly before Kazuto. He appeared to be several years older, and had a mature look to his refined face.

"Take good care of her, okay?" He gave a friendly slap on Kazuto's shoulder.

"Right!" He replied quickly.

After reminding Kazuto to keep his visit brief, the nurse Risa then led the three of the Yuuki's away toward the staircase. Kazuto watched them go, sending them silent thanks with one last bow of gratitude for putting their trust in him.

At last, Kazuto inhaled deeply as he gripped the key card in his hand. Then, stepping toward the door, he knocked twice.

"Come in..." A very thin voice answered, granting him permission to enter.

Kazuto slid in the key card and quietly stepped into the room.

She sat propped up in bed, leaning back against several large pillows. An IV drip traveled from her left wrist to a machine that tracked her pulse beside the bed. Her long, chestnut hair was smooth and thin as it pooled into tiny puddles at her sides. Her pale hands were folded into her lap, thin and frail.

But despite the state of the rest of her body, her smile was still lively and pure, and her hazel eyes shimmered with affection as she saw him enter.

"Asuna..."

Kazuto spoke her name on a relieved sigh. His entire body was instantly filled with a fluttering warmth upon seeing her again, and he felt almost dizzy for an instant.

Similar to last night, he truly needed to remind himself that he was actually in her presence, and the only proof at the time was the solid ground he stood on. Tapping his shoe on the ground for confirmation, he raised his head and could only pray that his own gaze reflected the same deep emotions that hers shown for him.

"Kirito-kun..."

His ears seemed to instinctively pick up on the sound of her voice; the way she spoke his name as she had been doing for the past 2 years, and how he had listened to those words felt as natural as breathing.

Sliding the card into his pocket, Kazuto tentatively walked forward. The vase full of colorful flowers was exactly as it had been left the night before, only now the sunlight filtering in through the window made them twice as brilliant as the moonlight had.

The same was true for Asuna's smile.

Just as he had only ten hours ago, Kazuto carefully sat on the bed beside her, but stopped his hand in midair as it reached for hers.

He knew he had embraced her last night, but even doing so had concerned him greatly. He could remember how delicate she felt, like a newborn fawn, almost breakable.

Being able to view her in the stronger lighting now, he could see just how emaciated she was, her white hospital robes proving to be far too loose on her petite figure.

He forced the unpleasant thoughts from his mind as he convinced himself enough to let his hand rest upon hers.

"How are you feeling? Have you eaten anything yet?" He asked in a tone slightly louder than usual, as he knew her hearing was still inadequate.

"Not yet..." Asuna shook her head from left to right ever so slightly, as if anything more than that was still beyond her physical capabilities at present. "Everything still feels...odd. But somehow it's just... so familiar... so right... " A glimmer of a tear formed at the corner of her eye, but it was almost as though there was not even enough force within her body to allow it to fall. "I still can't believe I'm back...after so long..." she whispered.

Her shoulders sagged slightly forward then, and the smile Kazuto had been wearing swiftly transformed into a frown. He excepted her speech to be unsteady still, but somehow it sounded even less sturdy than last night.

"Are you okay? Did something happen?" He longed to squeeze her hands, but the second he applied even the slightest amount of pressure other than simply lying his hand on hers, he could feel the bones all too easily.

"Ah...just..." her breath hitched even more than before as her reassuring countenance faltered into an expression of pain for one second too long. "Before... they helped me sit up and... ever since, my chest... has felt so tight..."

Just as she had finished speaking, her body gave out on her and she slumped forward. Kazuto hastily reached out to catch her, despair washing over him from head to toe.

"Asuna! Oy! Are you okay?" He asked, panic flaring in his chest.

For a moment, her only response was labored breathing, and Kazuto could only remain helplessly still as he continued to hold her. She had been sitting up last night when he had arrived, and he had embraced her lightly then, but it was apparent to him now that it would be an extremely risky and delicate process for her to do such things that were so unthinkably easy to other people.

It took a great deal of restraint for him not to embrace her as he had longed to do for so long, lest he injure her further. He could only settle for placing his hands on her back and trying to have her sit up as straight as possible. "Asuna! Asuna, please..."

Her breaths were becoming more ragged now, and the beeping of the IV machine increased in speed. Kazuto felt utterly helpless as he supported her.

These past two years, he had been able to protect her. He could fight her enemies with weapons, he could reassure her with words, he could defend her with his abilities. But here now, in his own world, he could do absolutely nothing for her as she suffered in his own arms.

_I can't lose her..._ His mind could form no other words as his hands shook on her back. _I can't lose her again..._

His teeth bit into his lip as he desperately attempted to hold back the sobs that threatened to slip forth. But just as Kazuto felt he was about to lose himself, the beeping sounds from the machine began to slow again.

As he calmed down a little, he could feel her pulse drop back to a more normal pace, although it was still slower than it should have been.

By the time Asuna could breathe easily once more, five painful minutes had passed by, and tears wetted Kazuto's cheeks as he held her against him.

He did not want to let her go anymore. He was resolved to staying that way with her forever, as long as it meant he never had to be apart from her again.

Asuna's entire body trembled as she inhaled deeply several times, until she could muster her voice again. "Kirito-kun..." her words were so quiet he almost missed them, even though she was so close to him. "I'm sorry. I'm alright now. I'm sorry..." He did not need to see her face to know she was crying. "Actually..." she rasped. "I might not be alright just yet..." her voice hitched. "But I will be soon... I promise... just you wait and see... I'm going to go to school with you... I'm going to eat lunch with you... I'm going to... walk home with you every day... just you wait..." Between the sobs that raked her body, she managed these words.

Even as she spoke of the tentative future, Kazuto could image all of it happening. He imagined taking classes with her during the day, studying together in the evenings, and going out together on weekends... but that was only a distant dream at the moment.

However it was partially his responsibility to make sure he could help make that dream a reality in only five weeks' time.

Taking a deep breath, he held back more tears as he carefully started to rub her back, barely making contact as though he were touching a delicate doll.

"We'll make it happen. I promise..." This was all he could manage to say before his throat closed up.

Time passed by unbeknownst to them as they continued to hold one another. Asuna was still almost unable to believe she was finally within his arms. She could finally feel his warmth again, his real warmth, and his strong arms on her back made her feel secure, as if nothing could ever harm her again. There was love in that embrace, in the cautious way he touched her, in every motion he made and every expression he showed her. Even the air around him seemed to be giving off a caring aura toward her alone.

For a while, she focused on her breathing, slowly willing away the suffocating tightness in her chest. The nurses had warned her about moving too much, as it would likely put a strain on her body, particularly her lungs and heart. Asuna never imagined that something as simple as sitting up in bed would cause such a long-lasting reaction from her body.

However, Kazuto's presence alone seemed to heal her, his warmth encompassing her. Before very much longer, the painful throbbing in her chest began to subside, ebbing away until it was almost unnoticeable.

She attempted to inhale, but a stinging prickle caused her to freeze, gritting her teeth as she tensed her shoulders. Kazuto sensed her discomfort instantly and spoke in a cracked voice.

"Asuna?" He longed to support her further, but stopped himself from moving her too much, sliding back himself so he could glimpse her expression.

"I'm okay now. Really." She lifted her head, her hair still a bit frizzed as she met his gaze. "I'm going to do this, Kirito-kun. And I know with you by my side, I can complete the recovery process within five weeks. I know it's going to be difficult, and it's probably going to be painful, for the both of us," she added, knowing full-well that it was just as hard for him to see her like this. "But I know we can do it. Together."

Although she could not manage much, she put a great deal of energy into focusing on moving her right hand. Her fingers shook, but after a burst of effort, she managed to turn her hand over, moving it slightly toward his. Even just flipping her hand over took a substantial amount of energy, and the dismayed look on Kazuto's face told her she had concerned him deeply in just doing something so small.

But the shine in her eyes as she watched him patiently reminded him of one of the countless reasons he had fallen in love with her in the first place; her perseverance. Even if it meant hurting herself, she would do everything within her abilities to accomplish anything she set her mind to, no matter how reckless the idea.

Kazuto was torn. He wanted to tell her to use the three required months in order to recuperate. He wanted to tell her to just get some rest after all that she had been through. He wanted to tell her that it was all right if she did not start school with him.

And yet he said none of these things.

In truth, he knew she could accomplish what she suggested, and since she had already committed to it in her heart, it was impossible to change her mind, and there would be no stopping her.

His lip trembled, but no words came out to oppose her wishes. He unclenched the fists he had balled his hands into, and gently slipped his left palm beneath her hand, covering it with his right in the gentlest, most endearing manner possible.

"Asuna." He murmured, looking directly into her hazel irises. "I promise I'll see this through with you. I'll come here every day. I'll come as early as possible and stay as late as I can. I'll help you with everything, no matter what. I'll always be here cheering you on and supporting you. I promise to make your dream into a reality. _I promise_."

Leaning forward, he brushed his lips against her cheek, her soft skin pale, but warm again. More than anything, he longed to kiss her as he had last night and stronger, and he longed to hold her tightly, tighter than before.

But for now, he would only allow himself this much.

Another tear made it's way down Asuna's cheek, and Kazuto gingerly reached up to wipe it away.

"Thank you, Kirito-kun. I love you."

For only the second time ever, but for the very first time in this world, Asuna showed him _that_ perfect smile.

Kazuto froze time and engraved that smile into his soul.

"I love you, too, Asuna. I love you so much..." He held onto her hand, tracing his fingers over her smooth skin.

Then, for the first time in what must have been nearly thirty minutes, Kazuto looked away from her, directing his gaze to a clock on the wall. It was only a little past noon, but he knew tomorrow would be a major day for her.

"I should go." When he spoke these words, Asuna felt a small spark of panic ignite within her chest. "Don't worry." Kazuto quickly added when he saw her stricken expression. "I'll be back first thing tomorrow morning. I might even just sleep outside and pester them until they let me in again." This earned a tiny giggle from her, and it gave Kazuto a pleasant chill to hear her laugh for the first time.

"Silly..." she rasped.

She admitted she felt nervous, anxious about the notion of him leaving so soon, but she reminded herself that this was the real world again. On top of the fact that Kazuto had never broken a single promise to her, no matter how seemingly insignificant it might have been, she was certain within her heart that he would always return to her.

"You should get some rest. As much as possible. And eat whatever you can." He said as he got to his feet, regrettably letting her hand slip from his. "We have a long five weeks ahead of us."

"Yes. I understand." She whispered with a bit of a sad smile. "I'll eagerly wait for you until tomorrow. You're all I dreamt about last night, and I'm sure tonight will be no different."

"I dreamt of you, too." He said. "I've been dreaming of you for the past two years, of finally being able to meet you... and that dream's come true." Her eyes shimmered as she listened to his words. "Now I have a new dream; to go to school with you, to play games together with you, to go out and have picnics with you. I want to be with you in this world, much more than I have been for the past two years."

As he spoke, he gently helped her lean back, fixing her pillows so she could lie down. He lowered her body ever so carefully, slipping his hands underneath her back. He pulled the covers up to her chest but made sure to leave her left arm out so the IV cable could run properly. "Is there anything you need?" He asked, still holding her hand lightly.

"No." She breathed, closing her eyes briefly. "Just... promise me one more time..." She reopened her eyes and looked up at him with a silent plea.

Kazuto smiled and leaned down once more. "I'll help make our dream come true, I promise." He kissed her cheek one more time. "See you tomorrow. I love you, Asuna." He softly tucked a strand of chestnut hair behind her ear.

"I love you, too." She told him again, wishing there was some way she could prove it other than in words.

Kazuto let his fingers linger on her cheek and she closed her eyes blissfully.

He did not know how he managed to bring himself to leave her, but eventually he forced his legs to move.

"Get some rest. I'll be back before you know it." He promised.

"Okay. See you tomorrow." Asuna said again, having trouble with the thought of parting with him already. It was as if she believed that if she kept talking, time would go by faster. But at last, she accepted the hours ahead of her and closed her eyes willingly, encouraging thoughts of him to form in her dreams and calm her mind.

Kazuto closed the door behind him and let out a long breath. His body was shaking with anticipation as he thought about the weeks to come. _We'll make this dream come true, Asuna. I promise._

"I love you, too, Asuna. More than anything, for the rest of my life, and beyond that, too."

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**A/N: I'm sure many things about this story will seem unrealistic to you, such as letting Kazuto help her recover rather than the hospital staff. I can only apologize and request you overlook such things.**

**Please review!**


	2. Strength

**Thank you all for the support as of chapter 1!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online.**

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Chapter 2. Strength

The following morning, Kazuto awoke to a numbing feeling.

At first, he thought it to be a result of enervation, as his body was technically still not completely back to what was decided to be its healthiest state.

But when he pushed himself up from his bed, expecting to feel dizzy, he was surprised to feel uncannily refreshed, his mind clear. As his eyes adjusted to the lighting in his room, he realized what caused the difference between waking up this morning as opposed to yesterday or two days before.

Those previous days had been uncertain, dull, and even despairing, as there was no proof that what Kazuto had been fighting for would ever come to any fruition. Those days were dark, ominous, almost as if they were taunting him with a future that might never come to light.

But today, what overcame him when he awoke was entirely different from what it had been for the past several weeks. There was no longer any dreariness in his body, not a single ounce of uncertainty, because now he had finally been blessed with what he had been fighting for.

He felt numb with... empowerment. Now that she was finally in this world with him, he felt like he could accomplish any task as long as she was there beside him.

He felt like an entirely different person, complete now that his other half had been granted to him. He held onto that feeling all morning as he changed clothes and ate breakfast.

"I'm heading out to the hospital." He informed his aunt and cousin.

He had told them the news of Asuna's awakening as soon as he had arrived home that day. Yesterday, he spoke to his aunt Midori about the conditions the Yuuki's had entrusted him with, and she had listened with a hard expression on her face.

"Kazuto." She had said quietly. "I can try to understand how you feel about this, and I know that her parents have put their faith in you..." she paused, looking into his eyes with all the affection his own mother never lived to give him. "But this is going to be very painful, both for you and Asuna-san. There's a lot of pressure on you both if you want to make it to the start of the school year." She then placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling a little as she noticed him meeting her gaze with unwavering eyes. "But I believe you can do it. So take good care of her, so you can bring her over to meet me as soon as possible." She patted his shoulder and Kazuto looked affectionately up at his aunt Midori.

"Yes. Thank you, Oba-san." He bowed his head deeply, gratefully, before walking past her and heading toward the door.

But just before he could step out, Suguha stopped him by clutching his sleeve.

"Here." She dropped a small item into his hand, and when Kazuto glanced down, he saw it was a charm. "It's for a swift and healthy recovery."

"Thanks, Sugu. This'll mean a lot to her." Kazuto ruffled his cousin's hair and she smiled.

He left the house, putting the charm in his pocket as he got onto his bike. The cold air turned warmer once he began moving, and by the time he reached the hospital, he felt refreshed.

He greeted the secretaries at the front desk before heading to the stairs toward Asuna's room.

It was presently 9AM and visiting hours had just begun, so he was allowed to enter. But he knocked first and waiting until he heard a reply from the other side before sliding in his card.

The same nurse from yesterday by the name of Risa stood beside Asuna's bed, replacing her IV drip. Asuna was sitting up, and as soon as she noticed his presence, her eyes softened and a warm smile appeared on her lips.

"Good morning, Kazuto-san." Risa spoke as she finished tending to Asuna.

"Good morning." He nodded to her before turning to Asuna. "Hi." He said simply, as if the thought of being able to greet her was still new to him.

"Hi." She smiled back, her cheeks slightly pink. She already looked better than she had yesterday, with her hair much neater and her clothes less ruffled.

"Right." Risa said satisfactorily. "Then let's get right to it. We should do as much recovery training each day as we can."

"Are you up for it?" Kazuto asked Asuna as he stopped walking next to the bed.

"I'm ready." Asuna replied with a determined expression. There was a familiar spark of fire in her hazel irises, and it only felt natural for Kazuto to see and be motivated by that gaze.

"Well it's only day one, so we'll start slow." Risa instructed. "Today it's just about getting her sense of movement back. Once the blood starts to flow properly again, her sense of touch will gradually return."

The nurse continued speaking for a while, instructing Kazuto on what he should do, and Asuna listened intently as well, focusing on honing in on Risa's words to better retrieve her hearing. She could make sense of the words that people spoke, but still needed to look at their lips in order to be certain of what she was interpreting.

When Risa finally finished her explanation, she demonstrated what it was she wanted Kazuto to do. She lifted Asuna's right hand, as that arm did not have the IV attached, and nodding in apology to Asuna as she demonstrated the technique.

"Right now all we need to do is get her body to remember how to move. Start with her fingers and arms for now, and I'll stop by in a while to see how things are going. If everything's going well, we may be able to continue. It all depends on how her body's coping and reacting. We may get as far as her shoulders today, or the extent may just be to her hands." Risa again apologized to Asuna for speaking as if she was not there. "If you need me for anything, please press the button on the side of the bed." With that final announcement, Risa wished them well and took her leave.

She had made certain to convey to Kazuto that this process not be rushed but rather quite the opposite. He understood more than anyone that Asuna wanted to go through the recovery stages quickly, however he did not want risks to even exist within this hospital room.

He sat down on the chair beside her bed that had been provided for him, reaching out to gently place his hand over hers. Her left arm was still occupied by the IV drip, so he had to settle for only being able to hold her right.

"So how are you feeling?" He asked.

"My throat is hurting a little." When she said this, Kazuto's eyes widened in alarm but she quickly continued before he could panic. "But it's okay. They said that's natural because my voice is starting to come back. I just need to drink a lot of water." As she said this, she nodded to the table next to her bed which Kazuto now noticed had several bottles of water on it. There was even a small cooler in the corner of the room that he assumed was also filled.

"Well in that case, why don't you drink some now?"

Kazuto took a bottle and opened it before leaning over her. She took a deep breath as he held it to her lips, carefully tipping the bottle, making sure to let her swallow. After a minute, she nodded her thanks and he put the bottle down.

"I can tell that it's cold," she rasped, clearing her throat. "Which is more than I can say for yesterday. Then, it just felt like a tickling sensation sliding down into my chest, but now I can tell that it's water."

"That's great." He was relived that she seemed to have made so much progress since only yesterday. He noticed that her pale cheeks were just ever so slightly more colored, and her hair shown.

Asuna noticed him staring and explained. "Ah, well they cleaned me this morning. I'm sure they've been doing that for the past two years as well, but this was the first time I was awake. I couldn't really feel the wash clothes on most of my body except for my hands and face, and I couldn't even tell when they were brushing my hair..." she sounded regretful for an instant before continuing. "But I definitely feel a lot better after that. I think I can almost even feel the material of the robes on my arms."

"That's really good to hear." He said. "Oh, right. This is from Suguha." He extracted the charm from his pocket and placed it on her lap.

"Oh!" Asuna's eyes almost welled up with tears when she saw the trinket. She was so genuinely touched that seeing her like that almost caused Kazuto to cry. "She's such a good girl. I can't wait to meet her myself. But until then, you've got to thank her for me, okay?"

"Sure thing." He agreed.

He stood, taking the charm with him, and walked across the room to a small table to the side of her bed. A vase of bright, colorful flowers sent from her friends and family sat there, and Kazuto took the liberty to fasten the charm on the stem of one of the flowers.

Now the arrangement was directly in Asuna's line of vision, and she could not keep the thankful smile from her face. "I can't wait to meet everyone..." She whispered as Kazuto sat back down. "Liz and Silica-chan, Klein and Agil-san, Suguha-chan and your aunt Midori-san..." Again her eyes welled up, but no tears managed to fall.

Kazuto just held her hand silently for a while as she imagined meeting all of her good friends for the first time. Only Kazuto and Asuna's immediate family were permitted to see her until she had fully recovered, therefore the minimum amount of time Asuna would have to wait to meet them would be their designated goal of five weeks, if all went well.

"Don't worry." He said softly. "You'll get to meet them soon enough."

After a few more moments, Asuna had finally calmed down, and Kazuto took her right hand in both of his. "Okay. I'm going to start." He announced, and she nodded once.

Just as the nurse had demonstrated, Kazuto began moving her fingers one by one, back and forth, up and down, and side to side. The purpose was to help make her body remember what it could do, and what it was supposed to be doing. But even just holding her hand up for a few minutes caused her arm to begin to tremble, so he placed her hand back onto the bed and gently continued.

Asuna felt frustrated; she could see her body moving, imagine it moving, yet she could not find the means to command it of her own volition.

To get her mind off the irking thoughts she requested of him, "Neh, tell me about everyone."

Kazuto happily obliged.

For some time, he continued to gently move her hand as he spoke of the people she had come to know. He told her their real names, their personalities, and all of their little quirks, hobbies, and interests. Asuna listened intently the entire time, trying to picture her in-game companions in real life.

All the while as he spoke, Kazuto moved her hand, bending each finger gently before rotating her wrist a little. He brushed his fingers over her palm, and by her expression he could tell that she could just barely feel his touch, but was still upset that she could not move on her own.

Whenever he saw that anxiety in her eyes, Kazuto would meet her gaze with an understanding, yet reassuring one, which always seemed to put her at ease.

The nurse returned after about an hour to check up on them and was pleased with Asuna's progress and declaration that she could faintly feel things in her right hand.

"Brilliant!" Risa grinned. "Then we can begin exercises with your arm and shoulders. Watch closely now, Kirigaya-kun..." She demonstrated how he should move Asuna's arm and shoulder before having him do the same. "Great." She nodded. "You're coming along just fine, Asuna-san. Keep it up, but don't push yourself." She then exited once again and Kazuto took Asuna's hand again.

After performing all of the exercises on her fingers, he slowly held her forearm and had her bend her elbow. He had to bite his lip as he felt through the material of the hospital robe where her arm was nothing more than a thin layer of skin stretched over bone that was painfully hard.

Asuna noticed his frown and gave a tiny smile. "I suppose you'll have to help me work out and gain some muscle back later." She said, half-serious.

His teeth loosened from his flesh when he saw that innocent smile. "Sure." He agreed. "I can even teach you kendo." He, too, was only half-serious, but Asuna seemed interested enough.

"Ooh! I'll do it!" She declared and they both chuckled.

Of course it was nice to think about such a carefree future, but at present, there were still a number of hurdles blocking their path.

They continued to speak, Kazuto having wound up telling her stories of how his grandfather would have him and Suguha practice kendo whenever they could.

He had risen to stand beside her, gently pushing on her shoulder when he felt her flinch and suck in a sharp breath.

"What? What is it?" Immediately he stopped what he was doing, leaning forward to catch her eye.

"No, I... I think it was a good thing." She blinked up at him, the pain already ebbing away from her expression. "I think it just popped a little or something. I guess that's to be expected after not moving for so long, but that's good isn't it? It means my body is still functioning normally and still knows how to move."

Her words made sense, and Kazuto felt a strong happiness begin to bubble up in his chest. However, he did not want to push her any further, therefore letting go of her shoulder he took his seat once more.

"I guess that really is a good thing." His mind raced ahead, imagining the time when Asuna could finally walk beside him. But as he was daydreaming, he quickly noticed that Asuna wore a peculiar expression now, and snapped back to the present. "What's the matter?" He asked.

"It's as if..." her voice was suddenly a little hollow, as though she was focusing on something far away. She tried to dig up the correct words to explain to him what it was she was experiencing. "It's as if that pop in my shoulder triggered something. There was a slight pain, but along with it came a heightened sense of touch. I can feel something prickling in my skin now that wasn't there before."

Out of confusion and a bit of fear, Kazuto's eyes darted to the monitor, but her heart rate and other conditions all seemed to be normal. "Does...does it hurt?" He wondered.

"A little bit." She replied. "It's almost numbing, but at the same time I can feel something, like it's tickling my arm and chest with needles..."

When she said that, Kazuto immediately remembered something the Risa had told him: "It probably won't happen for another few days, but she may experience pins and needles. If that happens, just wait a moment to let her feel the sensation, then move her arm again to let the blood flow back into place properly."

Since she had said Asuna would probably not feel pins and needles for another few days, Kazuto was conflicted over whether to be happy that she was making quick progress, or concerned that it was a bit too quick. Nonetheless, he reminded Asuna of the nurse's explanation and Asuna seemed to think it was the case as well.

Her eyes shown with a bit of triumph as Kazuto gently took her arm again. He performed the same exercises, but this time it was an entirely different experience for Asuna.

"I can feel... I guess it's the blood, but I can actually feel it flowing..." She murmured, sounding bewildered after having long forgotten that she was capable of such a thing. She honed her senses in on that feeling, trying to force her mind to remember what it was like to feel things throughout her body.

Just as the prickling was finally dying away, the nurse reentered. When she saw their almost gleeful expressions she gave a puzzled smile until Kazuto informed her of what had happened.

"Really? Already?" Risa was obviously taken aback. "I think that's a new record for a patient in your condition to get pins and needles after only two days."

Kazuto swallowed. "Is... is that a bad thing?"

"Of course not!" Risa exclaimed, and he let out a sigh of relief. "It just means that Asuna-san has a strong sense of determination to accomplish her goal, and she's even subconsciously having her body work to it's full potential."

When she heard that, Asuna ducked her head, and Kazuto could picture a pink blush on her cheeks in addition to her bashful smile. The nurse walked to Asuna's side to carefully move her arm. After going through all of the exercises again, she seemed very satisfied when she had finished. "This is very good. The initial stiffness has worn off and the blood is beginning to flow properly. I suggest you rest for a short while, then proceed with the left side."

Both Asuna's and Kazuto's faces lit up and their eyes met. _We can do this!_ They thought simultaneously.

"Just let me arrange to have her IV drip switched to her right arm. Kazuto-kun, would you mind stepping out?"

"Not at all." As he stood to leave, he took Asuna's hand again and squeezed it firmly, channeling his confidence that she could go to school with him that first day. She gave a silent nod back, and with that, Kazuto left the room.

He wandered around the hospital a little to stretch his legs and located the restrooms. Rolling down his sleeve, he checked his watch and decided to run downstairs to get something to eat quickly at the small cafe on the first floor.

Once he had finished, he returned to Asuna's room and knocked.

"Perfect timing. Come in." Risa called, and Kazuto swiped his card before entering.

Asuna sat up in her bed much like before, only her IV drip was now on the opposite arm. Kazuto moved the chair he sat in to her left side as the nurse asked Asuna. "Are you hungry at all? I know you ate a little this morning, and you probably still can't feel when you're hungry, but you should try to eat a little more."

"No, I'm fine." Kazuto noticed that Asuna had a slightly troubled look in her eye, almost fearful, and the nurse seemed to understand.

"Very well. We'll just try to have you eat something else this evening then."

"Yes, thank you." Asuna bowed her head as the nurse wished her well before leaving.

"What's the matter?" Kazuto asked instantly.

"It's nothing."

She mentioned nothing else on the matter, so Kazuto had to settle for her silence on the topic as he gently took her left hand in both of his. Perhaps it was because her right hand was dominant, but her left was even frailer, the bones of her fingers sharply pressing up against her white skin.

Kazuto moved those fingers slowly, as it pained him to hold such a small, delicate hand. He knew far better than anyone how strong Asuna was, but he also knew that she was nowhere near indestructible.

He slowly bent her index, middle, ring and pinkie fingers in turn several times before he heard a small sound come from Asuna.

"Nngh..."

Looking up, Kazuto felt alarm boil in his stomach when he noticed how pale she had become, so much paler than she had looked before. Her jaw hung open slightly and her eyes were downcast and unfocused, her vision shifting.

"Asuna!" Kicking back his chair, he stood immediately. She was panting deeply, her shoulders shuddering violently all of a sudden. Her condition had taken a turn for the worse so swiftly he had not even realized it. "Asuna! What's wrong?"

The emergency button to signal the nurse was on the other side of the bed, but before he could start to move, Asuna's choked voice halted him.

"Kirito-kun... over there..."

Past her labored breathing, Kazuto could make out those words as she nodded her head ever so slightly toward the corner of the room. Next to the table where the vase of flowers and Suguha's charm were displayed, a small pail sat on the floor. It took only seconds for him to register what she meant, and he looked at her in deep dismay before he quickly ran over to fetch it.

_Things were going so well! What's happening?!_ He shouted internally. As he gently placed the pail on her lap, Kazuto realized this was what the nurse must have been concerned about earlier. _Damn it!_ He clenched his fists, knowing there was nothing more he could do for Asuna.

Holding the pail in place with one hand, he soothingly patted her shaking back with the other, pulling her hair back behind her shoulders as she leaned forward. He spoke calmly to her, praying that the ill feeling would pass and leave her soon.

However, her breathing soon became hitched and her trembling worsened, and a moment later she coughed harshly before retching into the pail. Kazuto gritted his teeth and hugged her shoulders as she expelled the pitiful contents of her stomach.

A minute later she was silent aside from her ragged breaths, and tears were streaming down her cheeks. Kazuto tasted blood from where he had bitten his lip as he placed the pail on the ground. He took a small cloth from the bedside table and wetted it with water from one of the bottles before gently wiping her face. She continued to cry, longing to reach up and hug him but agonizingly unable to do so.

"Shh... it's okay..." He whispered past his own tears that welled up. "It's okay, Asuna. You're okay..." He repeated, attempting to drown out the sounds of her choking sobs. He pulled her shoulders to him, running his fingers through her thin, soft hair, kissing his lips to her head, but unsure if she could feel it.

At some point, the nurse reentered, panicked at the sight she beheld as Kazuto explained what had happened. Risa told him it had been likely to happen, but her words did not make him feel any less disturbed. She took away the pail and announced that she would return shortly before exiting.

All the while, Asuna contained to cry with her face buried in Kazuto's sleeve as he hugged her shoulders. She knew she was causing him suffering by letting him see her this way, but she could not stop herself. Even though her eyes were swollen and her chest was burning with a stifling, clogged feeling, that was not solely why the tears flowed.

She was frustrated. She was so angry at everything that was trying to hold her back from living her dream, which included her own body. She was trying her hardest, and yet despite all the progress she had made together with Kazuto, there was still a major setback like this. Because of something like this, she was certain the doctors would push back her rehabilitation another several days.

"Damn... it..." She coughed.

"Asuna..." He could only miserably speak her name as he encircled her in a loose embrace, which was only as tight as he dared hold her.

He knew full-well that he would be asked to step out for the rest of the evening, so Kazuto made sure to say what he needed to say now. "Hey..." Softly, gingerly, he brushed the back of his hand over her cheek, damp with tear trails. He leaned down until his face was just below hers, and she raised her head a little, enough to meet his honest, onyx eyes with her wavering hazel ones. "It's only the first day. Something like this was bound to happen so early on. You're still getting used to being back. I know it's near impossible, but... try not to worry about it too much. Please. It won't do you any good. We'll continue on working to make our dream come true tomorrow, so please, just rest for now. Don't push yourself."

Asuna blinked, one final tear slipping down her cheek. His words reassured her, quelling the tumult of emotions raging inside her chest. She could hardly managed to hold his gaze, for it was so intense she felt she was not worthy of meeting it.

She took a long breath, closing her eyes for a moment before reopening them, giving the tiniest smile.

"Okay." She rasped. She furrowed her brow as she tried to move her hand, straining to hold onto his, but to no avail. She frowned, and Kazuto quietly took both of her hands in his.

"Goodbye, Asuna." He kissed her forehead. "I'll see you first thing tomorrow, whether they let me in or not. I love you." He brushed his nose against hers and kissed her wet cheek just as the door opened.

Risa stepped into the room, accompanied by one other person who appeared to be a doctor. Kazuto regrettably let go of Asuna and left her side, bowing respectfully to the staff on his way out.

Just before he left, Risa addressed him. "I'm not certain if we will be able to continue tomorrow, but I will insist upon it for both Asuna-san's and your own sake, Kirigaya-kun." She gave him a faint smile, and Kazuto understood that she recognized their wishes, and silently thanked her for that.

And as Asuna watched him go, she noticed the hollow feeling inside her stomach begin to ebb away, as though his words had given her the strength to fight on another day.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading chapter 2!**

**To make things clear, I am unfamiliar with the actual rehabilitation process for coma patients, especially after 2 years, and my research yielded little to go off of. So just know all of this rehab process was made up by yours truly, so if it seems unreasonable, I apologize.**

**Please review!**


	3. Uncertainty

**If you've watched the anime, there are some discrepancies in this story, such as when she reached up and touched the scratch on his cheek. So just keep in mind this is a slight twist on things like that.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online.**

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Chapter 3. Uncertainty

Nightmares frequently haunted Kazuto's dreams for the next week or so.

Sometimes they were as tame as Asuna not being able to attend classes with him at school, but often times they were grave, horrifying scenarios that had him start awake covered in a cold sweat. The worst ones always involved Asuna injuring herself in some way, sometimes even fatally, and his dreams would be filled with terrible screams.

Kazuto awoke this morning feeling he had just managed to fend off one such nightmare, as there was a foreboding sense emitting from his mind, yet it ebbed away as his conscious brightened. He sat up in bed and groggily stretched his arms, rubbing the backs of his fists against his eyes as he tried to remember what he would be doing at the hospital today.

It was ten days after Asuna's first stomach problems, and she had vomited three more times since then, each one more painful for Kazuto to watched than the last. However, each time it happened, Asuna had said it was less aggressive than the previous, and now she was confident that her body was able to sustain itself after eating a certain portion of food.

Kazuto got out of bed and went to his bathroom to freshen up before putting on a dark gray sweater over his black pants.

The weather was particularly dreary that morning, and they gray skies barely showered any form of pale light into his house. As he ate his breakfast, he asked Suguha about any plans she had that day. Kazuto had learned by now that if he did not begin a topic of conversation at breakfast, then his aunt and cousin would instantly ask about Asuna's condition, and there were some days when he could deliver nothing but distressing news.

He no longer wished to worry his family with the matter, and therefore would only tell them favorable news, yet it seemed to be rare for the past several days.

He could tell that Suguha desperately wanted to meet Asuna, the girl he had told her so much about and one of the most famous players in SAO who had beaten the game. When Kazuto had met up with Rika, Keiko, Ryoutarou, and Andrew one afternoon for lunch, it was evident that they all felt the same way.

However, Asuna had decided not to see anyone but Kazuto and her own family until she could stand on her own two feet. Until then, even in the unlikely case that the hospital permitted visitors, she would decline the requests to see her.

_Just wait a little longer_. Kazuto thought as Suguha gave him a look that silently implied the question. She seemed to understand when he shook his head, so she bowed her own, saying nothing more for the remainder of the meal.

There was about a month left before classes would begin and Asuna was still in the first phases of rehabilitation, which focused on sustenance and restoring movement and feeling to her body. However, the nurse had told Kazuto to arrive a little earlier than usual this morning, so he wondered if a new stage of Asuna's recovery had been decided upon.

Remembering the time, Kazuto excused himself from the table before wishing his family farewell.

"Have a safe trip." His aunt Midori smiled a smile that made Kazuto feel everything would be alright, an expression he recalled from his younger days that would always sooth his troubles no matter how dire they seemed. Yet now, as he gave a partially-fake grin in return, he realized how her smile no longer had such a strong affect on him.

When he went to fetch his bike, a sharp breeze gusted past him, making him shiver as he started to pedal. He had traveled this path so many times now that it was clockwork, even to such an extent where he could time the red lights perfectly and miss each one by either slowing or quickening his speed.

Just as the hospital came into view, raindrops began to fall, and Kazuto swiftly parked his bike and took shelter inside of the building. He followed the routine of showing his visitor's pass to the head desk before quickly ascending the stairs to Asuna's room. He knocked twice.

"Yes?" If anything had changed for the better about her condition, it was undoubtedly her voice. It had gotten to the point where she could speak at a normal volume without too many pauses for breath, which indicated that her lungs were gradually regaining strength.

Kazuto entered the room, bright with artificial lights as well as the gray light from outside, but the warmth he felt upon stepping inside did not come from the noisy heater underneath the windowsill.

An aura surrounded Asuna that was warmer and more pleasant than even the nicest weather conditions, and Kazuto wondered if he was the only person blessed enough to feel it.

Her face, now restored with a bit more color, instantly lit up when she saw him. Her hazel eyes sparkled more strongly than they had yesterday, and even her smile had blossomed to be healthier than before. Yet Kazuto knew there was still a long way to go before they could unlock the true potential of that smile.

"Good morning, Kirito-kun." She greeted, her voice sounding livelier than ever.

"Hey." He smiled in return as he walked over to her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Well enough." She replied ambiguously, but Kazuto did not have time to dwell on her words, as she eagerly continued. "Kirito-kun, watch this." Kazuto blinked in confusion as he looked down at her. Asuna took a deep breath, appearing to be mustering some form of determination. Then, Kazuto watched in utter amazement as she slowly raised her arms.

At the beginning of her rehabilitation, the most basic of exercises were to move her fingers and hands to get her blood flowing properly. About a week ago, Asuna could curl her fingers into loose fists, but that was the extent of her abilities at the time.

However, a few days ago, after more exercising with the help of Risa and Kazuto, Asuna had claimed she had feeling back in both arms. It was apparent that since then, Asuna had been working hard, even by herself at night, in order to lift her arms up off the bed where they had stayed for two years, only having been moved by other people.

But now, Kazuto felt tears welling as she raised her arms up before her, entirely by herself.

Kazuto instantly recalled the countless times he had seen her this way within SAO, opening her arms up to him with a beaming smile. Now, she was trembling from the unstable motion she was performing, but she wore the same beautiful smile, her eyes closed happily with small tears clinging to the corners.

Kazuto could not hold back any longer and leaned forward to gently wrap his arms around her as she accepted him into her welcoming embrace. He could remember the first night they had met, how she had shown him that perfect smile and cried in his arms, but at the time she had been unable to touch him.

Now, as he gently wrapped his arms around her back, he could feel her soft hands on his, shaking yet somehow also very firm and comforting. He longed to hug her back as tightly as he could, but only just managed to restrain himself as he remembered her situation. He settled for basking in her embrace for as long as possible, burying his face into her shoulder.

After a moment, Asuna breathed a long sigh as the strength in her arms finally gave out as they slipped from his back. Kazuto let her go and straightened his posture, helping her fold her arms back into her lap. He gazed down at her with proud eyes, and her own gaze was happy and excited, for this meant she was one step closer to recovery.

"That's wonderful, Asuna." Kazuto forced his voice to stay steady and not be overcome with emotion. "You're amazing. You can finally move..." Despite his intentions, his voice cracked from sheer joy and a tear fell down his cheek.

"Hey, don't start crying now," she scolded gently. "I've still got a ways to go."

"I know there's still a lot to do," he nodded. "But I'm just... so happy."

"And if I try really hard, I can twist sideways down to my waist." She informed him. "I pushed myself up out of bed this morning, too."

"That's great..." He could form no more words at the moment and could only offer her his best smile. This was the first time in the days since she had woken up that he had felt such an overwhelming feeling of pride and accomplishment for her. _There's only a month left, but if this keeps up, she'll be fine. She'll definitely make it._

Just then, a knock came on the door before Asuna called out. "Yes?"

Risa then entered the room, and Kazuto's eyes widened when he saw what she had in front of her. She had brought in a vacant wheelchair which she pushed over to the side of Asuna's bed.

"Good morning Asuna-san, Kazuto-san." She greeted them. "After sending in the reports of Asuna-san's improvements in condition to the doctors, they authorized that we proceed to the next step!" She patted the handle bars of the wheelchair before addressing Asuna. "You're a few days ahead of schedule you know. And that's weeks ahead if you're thinking in terms of actual recovery time and not just your shortened version."

"Really?" Asuna's voice betrayed her excitement.

"Indeed." The nurse replied with a smile. "Despite some minor setbacks, your body is recovering at a steady pace, and that is likely due to your mind's unwavering perseverance." Kazuto and Asuna shared a delighted look before Asuna remembered something.

"Ah, that's right! I can finally lift my arms!" She informed the nurse. Proving her words, Asuna raised her arms in front of her again. Risa's eyes widened in astonishment, almost disbelief.

"My, my..." she muttered. "This is really quite something. For you to have undergone such extreme circumstances and to already be at this stage..." She trailed off, still in awe. Kazuto lifted his chin a little, silently boasting about how proud he was of Asuna.

"There's some feeling back in my legs," Asuna went on. "But I can't move them or feel my toes yet."

"That's perfectly alright." Risacleared her throat and readjusted her glasses, regaining her composure after the little shock. "Starting today, Kazuto-kun is allowed to take you around the hospital in this wheelchair. Of course this will help get you used to moving some more, but it is mostly about improving your vision."

"My vision?" Asuna parroted.

"Indeed. After two years of being in a coma, and then a week of nothing but a dimly-lit room, your eyes will slowly need to adjust to their surroundings. The world outside is full of colors and different brightnesses of lighting, so moving you around the hospital will get you used to different sceneries again. Ah, but of course you are prohibited from leaving the property. For today just stay here on the second floor, and then perhaps tomorrow if the weather permits it, you can go out into the courtyard."

"Wow..." Asuna breathed. "I can finally leave this room..."

"Do you want me to call Rika and Keiko?" Kazuto wondered. "If you're feeling up to it that is. I know you didn't want to see them until you could stand but-"

"No buts." Asuna said. "I won't see Liz or Silica-chan or Suguha-chan until I can walk by myself."

"I understand." He sighed a little, but understood what she meant.

"Ah, that reminds me, how is Yui-chan?" Asuna remembered that the last time she had seen her precious daughter was when she had been forcefully removed from Asuna's arms by the gaming system.

"Oh, she's fine!" Kazuto put in quickly before Asuna could worry. "I went online a few nights ago to tell her you were awake and she squealed the entire time. She says she misses you but that the most important thing is for her Mama to get better quickly."

"I see." Asuna's eyes were a bit sorrowful. "I'm sorry, Yui-chan. Just wait for me a little longer."

"Well, then," Kazuto changed his tone as he looked toward the wheelchair. "Are you up for it?"

"Do you really even need to ask?" She sounded so eager that Kazuto could not hold back a small chuckle, marveling at her cheerfulness.

In the past week filled with serious matters and troubling setbacks, and the month prior to that when he had been completely without her in ALO, Kazuto had forgotten her bright, chipper personality she had shown him in SAO so many times prior.

She had a grimly serious side, but was also very fun-loving, active, and carefree at times, not to mention her protective side and her abilities in combat. He had fallen in love with every side of her, but it was this one he had missed most sorely, and now that she could smile so wonderfully brightly again, Kazuto felt rejuvenated inside, his worries fading more and more each time she beamed up at him.

"Well then let's not waste another second!" Kaztuo glanced at Risa, seeking permission to go to Asuna, which she granted with a small nod. Kazuto pulled the sheets off of Asuna as the nurse turned the empty seat of the wheelchair toward the bed. She then went to remove Asuna's IV drip before she stepped away to let Kazuto by.

He was a bit nervous to touch her, as the last time he had held Asuna prior to that morning had been the first time they had met in real life a few weeks ago. Her eyes told him that she would be fine, but Kazuto still had his doubts, so he went about it very slowly.

He reached his right arm behind her back to gently secure her shoulders, and she lightly leaned her head against his chest. Through the fabrics of the white hospital robe, he could feel her thin body, her shoulder blades pressing against his arm and her ribs against his fingers. He tried to ignore them as he slid his left arm beneath her knees, which stayed still and limp even as he made contact with them.

He counted to three under his breath in order to prepare both himself and Asuna. Then, he carefully lifted her up into his arms, something he had always dreamed of doing, but was never allowed to until now. He had to restrain himself from doing any more than that, however, and he needed to suppress his urges to hug her tightly to him or spin her around joyfully.

On the other hand, Asuna was very silent, her eyes locked onto the mattress she had been confined to for so many months. Kazuto thought he could feel a bit of the tenseness in her shoulders fade away as she finally, finally was free of that bed.

He tried to ignore how easy it was to hold her up, how disturbingly light she was even after several weeks of rehab. He turned to the wheelchair Risa held in place for them, and gently lowered Asuna down.

He felt that the time he had gotten to hold her close to him, to share his warmth with her, had ended far too quickly, and longed to continue to embrace her. But he forced himself to let her go and he straightened up, relishing the sight of her not being in that hospital bed for the first time. Her lips were silent but her eyes said so many things as she glanced around the room from a different perspective, obviously doing her best to not appear too excited.

"As I mentioned," the nurse said to Kazuto. "You may take her around the second floor for today, but if she starts appearing tired or overwhelmed, return to her room and contact me."

"I understand." He bowed his head.

"Well then, I wish the both of you best of luck. I hope Asuna-san's recovery continues to improve at this astounding rate." Kazuto tried to ignore it, but he felt a small prickle go up his spine as she said those words, but he shook his head until it dissipated. As she exited, Risa left the door open to make it easier for Kazuto to wheel Asuna out.

"Okay, are you ready?" Kazuto asked her as he gripped the handle bars.

"Yes." Her voice was steady and eager.

"If you feel unwell, even just a little bit, you have to tell me right away. No pretending to be fine when you're not, okay? Promise." He placed one hand on her shoulder.

"I promise." She said in a more serious tone. In order to prove her words, she leaned sideways as best she could, until she lightly rested the side of her head on the back of his hand. Kazuto briefly let his fingers trail through her hair until he took the handle bars again.

"Alright. Let's go."

There was a moment of building tension and excitement as they headed toward the door. Kazuto brought her to a stop once they were in the hallway, and Asuna took a deep breath.

Once outside, the lights were brighter, the scents were stronger, and the noises were louder. Asuna sat upright as her senses were overcome by the factors of the world she had been absent from for two years. So much was familiar about it, as though she was naturally used to it, however at the same time it felt foreign and uncomfortable.

Yet she pushed away the negative feelings and wondered which sense she should focus on first. The brightness of the artificial lights caused her to squint in discomfort until her irises adjusted to the stark contrast of light and shadow. She could smell flowers and even the distant scent of food, and strove to recall if her senses had been so keen before her coma.

There was not much sound in the hospital hallway, but she could very clearly hear people speaking in other rooms, even though she felt they should sound muffled instead. But the clearest, most comforting sound to her was none other than Kazuto's concerned voice.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, placing his hand on her shoulder once more.

"Yes..." she murmured. "It's just... there's so much going on."

Kazuto found it hard to believe her words as he looked down the vacant hallway, but he understood that this dull scene to him was another world to her. Until now the scenes beyond the door were but a figment of her imagination, and it was only through her determination that she had been able to turn them into a reality.

"Should we go down the hallway?" He wondered.

"Yes. I'm ready now."

He could not see her face, but he knew the expression she was making, could imagine her hazel eyes sparking with anticipation.

"Okay."

But before he started to move, he first leaned down to kiss the top of her head. Her silky, chestnut hair tickled his lips and he closed his eyes for a brief second. Just as he was about to pull away, he felt cool fingertips brushing his ear and reopened his eyes to see Asuna's trembling hand touching his hair. He gave a small grin, placing his hand on top of her shaking one until it was steady. He kissed the back of her hand before slowly returning it to her lap.

Giving her shoulder one final pat, they slowly began down the long hallway.

* * *

The day after, Kazuto and Asuna had been authorized by the staff to use an elevator to reach the first floor.

Kazuto had taken her outside to the courtyard that was fresh and bright from the previous day's rainfall. Not much was blooming in the cold winter months, but to Asuna, even the gray trees and bleak ground were more than beautiful. She was particularly fond of the sky, often gazing up into the white clouds and getting lost in old memories.

She had savored her first breaths of fresh air in years.

A small stone path took them around a grassy area that would look much more inviting in the following warmer months. For a while, Kazuto had sat on the ground beside her wheelchair and enjoyed the cool breeze. Even though she had a thicker hospital robe around her at the time, he still draped his coat around her shoulders.

He talked to her about all kinds of things, and as she listened to his words, her memories gradually came flooding back to her. She could remember the warmth of the summer sun and the colorful flowers and animals that emerged with it. When she imagined herself taking classes with Kazuto and her friends in the onset of spring, a tear rolled down her cheek.

She imagined doing normal things again, like shopping, going out to eat, and wearing her school uniform. But in order to do all of those things, she was sure not to let her mind wander from the obstacles still before her.

For the entire day, they had watched the birds flitting from bush to bush, listened to the distant passing of cars in the streets, breathed in the musky scent of earth, and savored the wind sweeping over their skin.

Kazuto assumed they would be doing such things for a few more days, however, the following day, at present, Risa informed him that the wheelchair rehabilitation had been completed.

"What?" Both Kazuto and Asuna asked in surprise as she told them this. Asuna currently sat in her bed with a shocked expression while Kazuto stood beside her with his mouth slightly ajar.

"Indeed." The nurse smiled. "She has adjusted very well to movement and her senses are almost all back to normal. The only thing that remains is getting the feeling fully back in her legs and having her regain her strength so that she may walk."

"Walk..." Asuna repeated the word blankly before a tiny smile formed on her lips. Kazuto knew that just weeks before, such a simple thing as walking was an extravagant concept for her. Yet it only made sense that she could progress so far after completing all other steps of the rehab.

"Yes." Risa replied. "Which is why I have brought this." She presented them with a walker with very small wheels. "At first, all you need to do is stand. That will be the hardest part. After that, walking will come naturally. Therefore, today will consist of nothing more than standing. Am I clear?"

"Yes." They both answered.

"Splendid." Risa nodded, heading for the door. "Keep this up and you'll be ready for school a week in advance." She smiled before closing the door as she took her leave.

Kazuto turned to Asuna. "You've eaten, right? Do you want to start right away?"

"I think I want to practice moving my legs a bit first." She decided. He could see the longing in her eyes to move on to the next stage of recovery, but there was a strong patience holding her back.

"Alright."

Pushing the walker aside, he sat on the edge of her bed and rolled the sheets off of her. She now had most of the strength back in both of her arms, and was able to hold herself up as Kazuto lifted her left ankle. He slowly moved her leg forward and backward, bending her knee slowly. They had done this exercise before, but Asuna has still shown no signs of getting the feeling back in her legs, most likely due to the lack of using them for so long.

But she was relived that now as Kazuto worked on her legs, she no longer had to sit back helplessly. By supporting her upper body entirely by herself and without the use of the bed or pillows, she was gaining more muscle back in her arms, which was why she drove herself to keep going no matter how badly she quivered.

They continued with these exercises for fifteen minutes, occasionally taking breaks to let Asuna's arms rest. But after a few more moments, Asuna felt a strangely familiar sensation.

"Wait, Kirito-kun." She said focusing every bit of her energy on that feeling.

"What is it?" He asked, gingerly letting go of her ankle.

"It's like before... it hurts a little, but..." Even though she spoke so ambiguously, Kazuto instantly knew what she meant. Just as previously with her arms, the blood flow must have finally returned to her legs properly.

She bit her lip a little as the prickling ran all the way down to her toes on both legs simultaneously. "Ow, ow, ow..." Her arms began to give under the weight of her torso, so Kazuto quickly moved up to support her back. "Ah... it hurts, but at least it's a feeling!" She grimaced a little.

"Don't try to move yet." He told her. "Just wait until the pain dies down."

For several more minutes, he continued to hold her as she gritted her teeth through sharp breaths. Even though her legs were not moving, there was a dull soreness tingling all throughout her lower half and it even reached her stomach. It hurt much more than when it happened to her arms, and after a few more minutes her forehead was covered in sweat and a small trickle of blood stained her bottom lip.

"Do you want to lie down?" Kazuto asked, his voice rising in a bit of a panic.

"No..." she rasped. "I'm okay... It's... starting to die down." As she said this, she slowly reopened her eyes and her pained expression loosened. Her shoulders relaxed again and her breathing returned to normal as the pain subsided.

"Just wait for a minute." He laid her back down and got up to fetch a glass of cold water from the small cooler. He also took a clean cloth from the table and dabbed some water onto it before pressing it to Asuna's burning chest. She closed her eyes and sighed as he wiped the sweat away with the cold material, clearing off her face and the back of her neck as well.

He then took her arm and pressed the cloth to her wrist, which sent a cooling sensation throughout her entire body. He helped her sit up and held the glass for her as she drank.

"Thank you." She sighed, placing her hand atop his.

"Can you move your legs on your own?" He asked.

Asuna made a face that suggested she was trying to do just that, but she sighed in defeat. "No."

"Well that's alright. Because you're not practicing how to walk yet. Do you want to try standing?"

"Yes." She answered immediately.

"Okay." He nodded in confirmation.

Kazuto helped her shift her legs off of the bed as her hands shakily reached up to grip the handle bars. For a while, she just opened and closed her fingers around the cool metal, seeing how long she could grip onto it before her strength dwindled.

She continued to do this, each time keeping her grip a little longer until she could hold on adequately for about 30 seconds.

When she was ready, she gave a small nod to Kazuto and he placed a hand on her back while holding the walker in place with the other. He supported her as she slowly, slowly leaned forward, pulling herself up as Kazuto pushed lightly on her back. Asuna managed to get her weight somewhat fixated on her feet, but before she could so much as straighten her back, she had to sit back down.

She repeated this process many times, and if not for Kazuto's concerned urging, she would have done so nonstop without any rest in between, but he managed to convince her of that much.

As she continued her attempts to stand, her legs and feet started to get adjusted to supporting her body's weight to the point where standing felt natural, yet her lack of strength restrained her from staying up fore more than five seconds.

Each time she was forced to sit back down on the bed, she would mutter "Again" under her breath and Kazuto would help her back up. But before very long, Kazuto could feel that her back was growing hot, and her forehead was covered in a thin veil of sweat.

"Asuna." His voice alone told her she would have to stop, and although she wanted to protest, she bit her tongue. With a deep sigh, she let go of the handles and sat back onto the edge of the bed one last time as Kazuto pushed the walker out of her reach.

He sat with her there for a while, patting her back and fetching her water as she wound down. "You did great, Asuna." He said, unable to keep the smile off of his face. "Like they said, at this rate you'll be recovered with time to spare."

"You really think so?" She turned her hopeful hazel eyes up at him and Kazuto blinked once. He longed to hold her gaze confidently, but for some reason his eyes flickered for half a second before he responded.

"I do." He replied quickly, hoping she had not noticed the waver in his gaze. But it was apparent that she had, as her shoulders slumped into another long sigh. "I'm sorry." He murmured. "I just... I don't want to lie to you and get your hopes up."

She shook her head. "It's okay. I understand. I'd rather you be honest and tell me the truth." Her lips showed a bitter smile, and Kazuto bit his lower lip in anger at himself.

"But..." his voice was small, yet he lifted his head to gaze seriously into her eyes. "I really do believe that you'll be back in school with me on the first day. Even if it's in a wheelchair or on the walker."

But Asuna shook her head again. "No. I won't show myself in front of the others until I can stand on my own two feet. That was my condition." She reminded him. "So we're just going to have to make sure I've come that far at the very least." She reached toward him and placed her left hand over his right.

Kazuto stared for a moment before he quickly covered her hand with his other. "We'll definitely make it happen." He vowed. "Our dream... the first dream we can fulfill together in this world."

"Right." She nodded, and a small tear clung to the corner of her eye. Kazuto raised her hand to his lips and kissed her cool skin.

As he held her hand in his, he could still feel the bones jutting out, but there was a definite sturdiness there now that was not present before.

A moment later, he carefully took her back into his arms and helped her lie down in her bed, pulling the sheets up to her shoulders. "Actually," she spoke as if suddenly having changed her mind. "Could you let me sit up? I want to keep practicing my exercises."

Kazuto gave her a wary look, and although he wanted to let her do so, something in his stomach made him refuse. "I think you've done enough for today." He told her. "Just rest for now." Leaning down, he brushed her bangs aside to kiss her forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow, first thing in the morning."

"Okay." She said quietly. "Goodbye, Kirito-kun."

"Bye, Asuna."

And with their short farewells, Kazuto stepped out into the hallway, but could not shake the troubling feeling he believed to be leaving in the room behind him.

* * *

**A/N: We've reached the halfway point. Thanks for all of the support up until now! Until next week!**

**Please review!**


	4. Despair

**Thanks for all the support! Sorry about all the inaccuracies people have been pointing out, but as _I_ pointed out in chapter 1, this story was finished the moment I posted it, and I'm not changing anything now.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online.**

* * *

Chapter 4. Despair

For the next day and even several following that, standing in place with the assistance of Kazuto and the walker proved to be all Asuna could manage.

Even though she felt she should have been able to walk on the second day, her body was too weak to support her for very long, and her legs were still not fully under her control. She had managed to bump the time she could stand in place from fifteen to almost forty seconds, but she had not taken a single step beyond the edge of her bed.

Kazuto knew it was frustrating for her, as it was for him as well. Risa had said Asuna would have been able to take steps by the second day, and here they were on the third with no such progress in sight.

Kazuto had voiced his concerns to the nurse, and she had come in to watch the procedure with calculating eyes. Kazuto knew she was only trying to see where the problem might be stemming from, but to Asuna, Risa's presence felt criticizing, as though ridiculing her for not keeping to the designated schedule. She tried even harder when Risa was present to observe her, but still Asuna made no further progress and ended up sitting back down, panting.

In response to witnessing Asuna's inability to walk yet, the nurse set them back a step and had them resume leg exercises. "She needs to regain muscle in her legs, and more than anything she needs to keep eating." She diagnosed. "For now, let's keep off the walker for two days and see how things progress from there."

After saying these words, Risa exited the room, scribbling something down on her clipboard with a stern expression. Asuna remained frozen where she sat with her head bowed and her hands limply in her lap.

"Asuna..." Kazuto murmured. "It's okay. We still have plenty of time."

"It's not okay." She said in a dull voice that sent an unnerving shiver down his spine. "According to the data, I should have been walking three days ago, so why..." She choked on a small sob. That was what shredded Kazuto's final ounce of restraint, and he gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her to him. "I... I've been doing my best... all this time..." She hiccuped into his shirt. "So why... why now...?"

Kazuto longed to say something in response, but he felt that any words he spoke to her now would only sound negative. So he settled for hugging her as tightly as he dared as she continued to cry, a sight he had not beheld in several days.

For the remainder of that day, they were forced to retreat one step and go back to the basic leg exercises, but even throughout those, Asuna's face never once lifted.

Kazuto, too, gave up before long and went to sit beside her, and she soon fell asleep in his arms. He wiped the tear trails from her cheeks as he rested his chin atop her head and gazed past the vase of flowers and Suguha's charm to the taunting window beyond. "I'm sorry, Asuna." He murmured. "Tomorrow. Tomorrow for sure..."

* * *

The next day was sunny, and the temperature was higher than the previous one.

Initially, this gave Kazuto a positive feeling looking forward to the day, and he wore a small grin as he left the house that morning. But as he neared the hospital and left his bike in the parking area, he realized this meant spring was soon approaching and they were becoming pressed for time.

He entered the building and his body followed the clockwork routine of walking up to the front desk, but the secretaries no longer had to do so much as make eye contact with him to permit him further.

He knocked on Asuna's door before entering, holding his breath and not sure what state he might find her in.

Thankfully, her expression was not depressed as it had been yesterday. The familiar determination was in her eyes as she sat up without support of the pillows, slowly moving her feet up and down in turn in the motion of uncertain steps. Kazuto let out his breath with a sigh of relief before making his way over to her.

"Morning, Asuna." He greeted, trying to sound as chipper as possible. She had apparently been so focused on her exercises she had only just noticed his presence and looked up, surprised.

"Ah, good morning!" She presented him with a small smile, yet Kazuto could sense it was forced.

Now that he got a closer look at her, he could tell she was still upset about the past few days and was more frustrated than anything. He prayed things would go well today, or else she might reach her limit altogether.

"Did you eat yet?" He asked.

"Yes." She nodded. "And I've been exercising all morning so I think I'm ready to start right away."

"You're not supposed to do the exercises alone, you know." His voice lowered in concern.

"I know my own body." She replied a bit tartly. "And I know for a fact that I can get this done today."

Kazuto blinked in surprise. "Right... sorry for doubting you." He scratched his head and lowered his gaze.

Asuna immediately realized how she had behave and recoiled. "I...I'm sorry..." she said in a small voice. "I'm just... upset with myself and I ended up taking it out on you."

"That's the last thing you need to worry about." With a reassuring smile, he placed his hand on hers. "I can imagine how difficult this is for you. So let's do our best again today." He squeezed her hand. Asuna turned her palm upward to meet his and interlocked her fingers with his.

"Yes. Thank you, Kirito-kun." She smiled.

Kazuto then proceeded to retrieve the walker from the corner of the room. But before he brought it over to her, Asuna's voice sounded from behind him.

"Kirito-kun? Do you think you could also bring me that?"

He turned to look where she was pointing. "Sure." He untied Suguha's charm from the flower vase and brought it over to the bed, handing it to her. Asuna looked down at the small embroidered fabric for a long moment before she closed her eyes, clasped it in both hands, and held it to her chest. It was as though she was making a silent wish, and Kazuto knew exactly what it was.

When she was ready, Asuna reopened her eyes and pulled the string of the charm around her wrist before turning herself toward the edge of the bed. Kazuto was prepared to assist her, but she managed to slide her legs off the bed on her own, gripping the handles of the walker with firm fingers.

"Ready?" He asked, placing a hand on her back. She nodded, and Kazuto supported her as she struggled onto her feet. She shook as she stood in place, her hair falling over her shoulders as she glared down at her legs. _Move! Move!_ She gritted her teeth as she silently yelled this at herself, trying to grasp complete control over her body.

She retained her balance for several seconds before she began to tremble and Kazuto prepared to catch her. Asuna gave one final effort, but still she did not advance, and ended up sitting back onto the bed.

"That was good." Kazuto encouraged her. "You stayed up longer than you did yesterday on your first try."

"Really?" His words gave her hope as she lifted her head.

"Really. Let's try again whenever you're ready."

"Okay."

They repeated the process over and over with similar results until an hour had passed.

After two hours, Asuna had still not taken a single step, and Kazuto could tell she was nearing her limit. She was breathing roughly now, sweat dripping from her neck as she grasped the charm in her palm.

"Asuna." His voice was quiet, yet stern. "Let's take a break for now." She looked up at him with dismayed eyes, but he continued before she could worry. "Just eat something and relax for a while, then we can try again, okay?"

She could do nothing else but comply, and Kazuto helped her back onto the bed and stood her pillows up for her to lean against.

He swiftly left the room to buy something for himself to eat, when he remembered that Asuna had recently been permitted to eat food from the hospital's cafe rather than just the limited things brought to her by the staff. Therefore, Kazuto ordered her a small sandwich as well and brought everything back up with him.

Asuna thanked him, surprised when he handed her the sandwich, but she swallowed with a determined expression as she accepted it. She held it in her hands as though it were a foreign object before appearing to resolve herself and taking a bite. As the nostalgic flavors washed over her taste buds, Asuna felt a strange yet satisfying sensation.

"My first sandwich... in over 2 years!" She whispered incredulously.

"I can still remember how good it tasted for me." Kazuto grinned. "I just wished it could have been one of yours."

"Don't worry," she poked his nose. "There'll be plenty of time for that in a little while."

They finished their meals in contented silence before Kazuto cleaned up the napkins and offered her a bottle of water. "Okay." She declared when she had finished. "I'm ready to try again."

"Glad to hear it." He pushed the walker back over to her as she got ready again, still holding the charm in her hand as she took the handle bars, and they began all over again.

Just as the previous days, Asuna managed to stay standing for longer and longer each time, but she was still shaking too much to be in control of her legs.

Yet no matter how many times she fell, she got back up immediately afterward.

The sunlight shifted again and again before Kazuto felt they should stop. Every time, he was the one who had to convince her to stop, and never once did he hear her say she was tired or wanted to take a break. He truly admired this about her, but knew that pushing her much further would only result in disaster.

As Asuna fell back into his arms yet again, Kazuto cleared his throat, preparing to suggest they stop for today. But almost as if sensing his intentions, Asuna pushed herself back up one last time, steadying herself as she stood.

Kazuto let the words fade on his lips as he gazed at her profile. Time seemed to freeze for an instant, and it was as if he were witnessing a miracle.

Asuna steadied her breathing, her mind feeling both blank and focused at the same time as she muttered under her breath over and over: "Move... move..."

Kazuto's eyes widened as her trembling body leaned forward, her left foot raised ever so slightly off the floor as she finally took that first step forward.

The wheels of the walker squeaked slightly, as if to confirm the motion, making it concrete and certain.

But one step was not all she managed.

As the natural feeling came back to her at last, Asuna continued two, three, four steps across the room, until she was two feet away from where he sat on the bed.

After the fifth step, Asuna froze, her body trembling all over as her shaking voice gasped. "I... I did it..." She slowly turned to look back over her shoulder, hazel eyes locking with onyx. "Kirito-kun..."

As though from immense relief, her posture slumped and her grip slackened. Kazuto darted forward and caught her joyously in his arms as she fell against him.

"Asuna!" He embraced her tightly and buried his face in her shoulder as Asuna weakly gripped his shirt.

Kazuto just managed to bring her back to the bed before he sat down with her in his lap. Then, with her arms locked around his shoulders and his arms locked around her back, they both broke down into blissful sobs.

They remained that way even as the sunlight began to fade, Kazuto gently stroking her hair as Asuna continued to hold the small charm in her palm.

* * *

The next day Kazuto rushed to the hospital possibly quicker than he ever had before.

He was probably just as excited as Asuna was to continue working toward their dream today.

When Risa had returned yesterday to find them clutching one another on the bed, she had panicked and thought something had gone wrong. But when Kazuto wiped his eyes and explained to her what had happened, her expression had softened before turning into one of relief.

At that minute, Kazuto had known that it was true that Asuna had been behind in her recovery stages, so the news of hearing that she had finally walked must have been very reassuring.

Kazuto skidded his bike to a halt in the parking lot and jumped off before it had even stopped moving. He did not bother to chain it in the bike rack as he eagerly entered the building. Once he had climbed the steps which was such a natural process to him now, he found Risa already inside Asuna's room.

"Good morning, Kirito-kun!" Asuna smiled, her excitement bubbling over into her voice.

"Good morning." Kazuto nodded his head to each of them in turn and the nurse greeted him as well.

"Now," she said since they were both there. "Are you sure you want to keep practicing today? Data shows that after a coma patient learns to walk again, a day of rest in between will not hinder that ability."

"No," Asuna shook her head. " I don't want to rest. I don't know if my body will remember if I wait that long. Besides, I'm already two days behind schedule anyway. There isn't much time left..."

Risa and Kazuto both shared a mutually concerned look, as though they were asking the other if letting Asuna continue was alright. Kazuto quickly dispersed his worries and spoke up.

"I think she can handle it." He shot Asuna a very fast glance. Normally, he would have said he _knew_ she could do it, but even as he voiced his uncertainty, Asuna did not seem to want to change her mind.

"Very well." The nurse nodded. "But just as usual, nothing strenuous, and if anything happens, notify me immediately." Both teens nodded as she gave her usual warnings before losing her stern expression for a softer one. "I wish you both the very best of luck." With that, she crossed the room and left them.

Asuna turned her gaze onto him instantly. "Let's begin right away."

"Just a second." He put his hands up to slow her down. "Did you eat something yet?"

"Yes." She replied.

"And you're sure you feel up for this?"

"I'm positive."

"...Alright then."

Kazuto unfolded the walker as Asuna pulled the covers off of her body. Kazuto also retrieved Suguha's charm from the vase of fresh flowers and handed it to her. She accepted it gratefully before sliding her legs off the edge of the bed.

There was no doubt in Kazuto's mind that her upper body was certainly on the path to recovery, as her motions when she moved her arms and hands were much more fluent. It was her legs that still concerned him.

Asuna brought the little charm to her lips for a moment before gripping the metal handles of the walker. Kazuto was beside her to support her back as she gathered her strength. Pulling herself upward, she attempted to take a step, but had to sit back down.

"Why...?"

"It's okay." Kazuto cut her off before she could worry. "That was only your first try. Your body will remember soon enough." He told her, silently praying that he spoke the truth. His words seemed to put her at ease and she prepared herself for a second attempt.

This time, she stood for much longer and managed to take one tiny step before recoiling again. "That was great!" He patted her back lightly and a small smile shown on her lips.

"I need to surpass five steps today." She announced.

"That shouldn't be a problem." He said confidently.

Again and again he helped her stand, but it was not very long before she could stand without his support, although Kazuto had to follow her very closely so he could help her for when she needed to rest. He would walk her back to the bed for a minute until she was ready to try again, and by lunchtime, she had managed five steps across the room.

"This is great, Asuna!" He grinned. "You can definitely cover five more steps before evening. Take a break for now. What do you want to eat?"

"Eh? Ah..." It appeared she was so excited that she had been lost in her own thoughts and had hardly heard him. "I'm actually fine. I had a big breakfast since I knew today would be important. But if you're hungry, please go ahead and get something to eat."

Kazuto almost believed her, and he would have too, if not for catching the slight flash of emotion in her eyes at that moment. He stopped heading for the door and came back to sit next to her. Asuna jumped, and it was clear she had been found out, so she lowered her gaze.

"I'm not angry." He placed his hands on hers and squeezed them gently. "I know you must have been extremely nervous. But you need to eat."

"I know..." She sighed. "I just... I felt like if I ate anything this morning, I would end up throwing up again. I was so anxious it was almost painful..." A tear slipped from her eye and Kazuto wrapped his right arm around her, pulling her close.

"Just take it easy." He whispered. "You don't need to be anxious. You're going to come to school with me and everyone else on that first day. I know it. So for now just do everything you can to make that happen."

Her shoulders shook slightly, and at first he thought she was crying. But he soon took note of her steady breathing and realized she was calming herself before she could become upset. It was almost as if she was saying "I've had enough crying" and instead she took deep, slow breaths as she got her bearings.

A moment later she sat up and kissed his cheek gently.

"Thank you, Kirito-kun. I'll have some lunch now."

"Glad to hear it." He kissed her forehead before letting her go. "I'll be back before you know it."

Once in the hallway, he headed toward the cafeteria to pick up two sandwiches. When he returned, he found Asuna waiting patiently where he had left her and he sat down and unfolded the napkins onto their laps.

Kazuto ate with gusto but noticed Asuna struggling to chew. "Take your time." He soothed. She nodded and slowly took another bite, and another until she had almost finished the entire thing.

Kazuto threw away their trash and handed her a small bottle of water. She could even open the cap without his assistance now, and she drank slowly before letting out a long sigh.

"Better now?" He wondered.

"Yes." She replied with a smile. "I feel a lot better. Thank you, Kirito-kun." Her honesty was so endearing he almost embraced her again, but held back the urge.

"Are you ready to reach ten steps?" He asked.

"You bet." Now that she had eaten something, he could tell she felt a lot better, as some of the color had returned to her face.

In under an hour, Asuna had completed walking ten steps in a straight line, but she did not stop after that. She walked across the length of the room and was able to continue standing as Kazuto helped her turn around.

She almost made it all the way back to the bed as well, but a few paces away she stopped moving and Kazuto took his cue. He took her shoulders and let her lean against him as her knees began to tremble. He then supported her as she made her way back to the bed before sitting down together.

"That was amazing. _You're_ amazing." He said, his voice nearly bursting with happiness as he pulled her in. She caught her breath for a minute, smiling the entire time.

When she was ready to continue, she managed to cross the room and return to the bed by herself, only requiring Kazuto's assistance when she needed to turn around. The motions were much more natural when she did not think about them, and she could feel the strength returning to her legs bit by bit. She sat back down on the bed as Kazuto did the same and embraced her yet again.

"This is great! You've definitely made up for lost time. I'll go get Risa-san and let her know. Maybe tomorrow you can start walking with just the cane, and that'll be the final stage!"

"Mm!" She nodded, nuzzling into his shoulder gleefully. "But just one more time." She said, sitting up again. "I want to cross the entire room and back by myself. You can follow me but don't help me unless I really need it."

He hesitated for a second, but then nodded, and together they stood.

Kazuto followed beside her as Asuna concentrated on moving forward, that familiar determination blazing in her eyes.

Once she reached the wall, Kazuto was ready to help her turn, but Asuna managed to do it by herself and gave him a bright smile which he instantly returned. She headed back toward the bed, her feet moving slightly slower than an average walking pace. Kazuto watched from the side and moved forward with her.

It happened so suddenly.

One of the wheels of the walker got jammed and refused to turn. Therefore, when Asuna leaned her weight forward to try and take the next step, the walker did not move like it should have.

The sudden unexpected change in the processed that was previously so fluent until then caught Asuna off guard. Her foot slipped as she lost her grip on the handles. The walker rolled away before her and cluttered loudly to the ground, drowning out Asuna's petrified shriek as she collapsed forward.

Kazuto's outstretched hands were a second too late and his fingers only brushed against her hair.

He watched in sheer horror as Asuna fell to the floor, hitting the tile with an impact that left her instantly breathless, Suguha's charm flying from her grasp.

"ASUNA!" He shouted, his voice heavy with terror as he knelt down beside her.

He was afraid to touch her as she struggled for breath, but was too frightened to leave her alone as he ran for help. So he reached out to carefully touch her shoulders with his violently shaking hands.

She coughed harshly as she gasped for air, and Kazuto was at an utter loss for what to do. His voice would not work aside from uncontainable whimpers of fright in between calling out her name. "Asuna? Asuna!"

He managed to lift her into his arms before slowly turning her over onto her back. He laid her down, resting her head on his knees as his hands gently touched her heaving chest. A mixture of tears and sweat covered her face and she could not open her eyes.

Kazuto could only repeat her name quietly over and over, his voice cracking each time. His mind was too jumbled to think straight and he could not call out for help.

Two excruciating minutes passed with the sounds of her agonized breathing and his shaking voice until the room went silent again. Kazuto had to hold back his own sobs as Asuna's breath slowed and her pained eyes opened slightly.

"Kirito...kun...?" She gave a short cough after speaking his name, and her entire body jerked.

"Asuna!" He traced his palms over her chest in slow circles. "Don't... please don't..."

"I'm okay..." She rasped.

"You're _not_ okay!" He shouted. Asuna jumped, her expression clearly startled as he yelled at her. She could see the instant regret in his eyes for raising his voice at her, but he continued to shout. "You're not okay! Don't tell me you're okay! There's no way this is okay!" His words were harsh and loud, yet his hands still touched her so gently.

Asuna's eyes welled with emotion as he got angry at her, but she knew she would be behaving the exact same way if their positions were reversed.

After a minute, Kazuto felt a horrible dread overcome him as he saw Asuna's stricken expression. He gritted his teeth as he bowed his head, his tears landing on the floor around her. "I'm sorry..." he choked out. "I'm so sorry, Asuna..."

"Shh... It's okay..." Her calm voice whispered to him as she strained to move her arm. It hurt, a lot more than she knew it should, but she forced herself to move it up until her fingertips lightly brushed his cheek. Kazuto opened his eyes to look miserably down at her, but her only response was a smile.

He lifted his left hand to cover hers where it resided on his cheek, and he continued to hold onto that hand for another minute until his tears finally stopped.

During that time, a dull pain had begun to overtake Asuna's body, particularly her chest. Her eyebrows furrowed and she had to open her mouth slightly to breathe.

Kazuto was all different sorts of angry at himself for lashing out at her, but he was even more infuriated that he had let his emotions get to him when she was in such a condition. He gently took her hand and lowered it from his cheek.

"I'm going to get the nurse." He told her. "Just _do not move_, okay? I'll be back in a second."

"Kirito-kun." Her breath was still shaking, but her voice was very firm. He looked down into her eyes and she shook her head ever so slightly. "You can't tell them."

"Wh..." He swallowed hard. "What do you mean? What are you saying? Of course we have to tell them! What if something's broken and you just can't feel it yet? You can barely breathe, Asuna!"

"I just need another minute." She said calmly. "Please, Kirito-kun, bring me to my bed."

Kazuto was torn. He knew full-well that someone needed to be informed about what had just occurred here. But he also knew that if they told anyone, Asuna would probably be forbidden to try to walk again for a long while; informing people of the incident would only set them back for an amount of time they could not afford to spare.

He knew that Asuna intended to keep this a secret entirely and continue to try and walk again tomorrow. Yet Kazuto also knew he would not be able to live with himself if something were to happen to her again.

He knew their dream was unrealistic, that she should have taken the extended time to recover and come to school late rather than try to prove herself and rush things. He wanted to believe in her abilities, and he wanted her to walk to school with him on that first morning. But if this was what it would cost, he decided it was not worth it in the slightest.

"Kirito-kun..." Asuna's quiet voice brought him back to the present as he let his thoughts dissipate. He still knelt on the floor with Asuna lying before him, and her face was still pale as she panted for breath.

Kazuto wiped his sleeve across his face before deciding to get her to her bed first before worrying about anything else. He slid his arms underneath her knees and shoulders, cradling her head against his chest as he stood. Immediately, Asuna let out a low moan of pain and Kazuto froze.

"Asuna..."

"I... I'm okay... Just..." She could not finish her request as her ragged breathing overpowered her voice. Kazuto stayed still, fighting back more tears as she panted shallow breaths.

It was another moment before she had calmed down again, and he slowly took her over to her bed. He let her upper body lean back against the reclining bed to allow her to breathe easier, and she let her head fall back and closed her eyes.

Kazuto sat down and rolled up her sleeve before pressing his fingers against her wrist to measure her pulse. It was only slightly above average, which surprised him a little, but it was still not enough to put him at ease. He still intended to call for the nurse and remembered the emergency button on the side of the bed that would page her.

But as his fingers reached for it, a trembling hand stopped his. Asuna glanced at him through watery eyes that begged him not to do it.

"Kirito-kun..." she spoke softly, just above a whisper. "Before you... you were thinking how unreasonable our dream is, weren't you? I could see it clearly on your face."

"But Asuna, you-"

"You were the one who told me not to give up on it, remember?" She went on. "When I wanted to give up, you told me it wasn't just a childish dream, right?"

"That was different..."

"It wasn't." She stated firmly. "We said we would make it come true no matter what, right? It was a promise."

"Asuna..."

"Don't look at me like that..." She gave a weak smile. "Like you're about to give up and tell me it's actually an impossible dream after all. We still have plenty of time..."

The hand Kazuto had been reaching with to press the paging button clenched into a fist as she used his own words against him. She moved her other hand to rest on top of his, forcing back the slight pain that flinched inside of her as she did so. She locked her eyes with his and continued to smile as she spoke. "Don't give up on me now, Kirito-kun."

He caved, slowly taking his hand away from the button and placing it on top of hers instead. Kazuto could say nothing and only looked into her eyes. She blinked once slowly, as if to reiterate that everything was all right.

"Okay..." Kazuto whispered. "I won't tell them."

"Thank you, Kirito-kun."

"But I won't let you do anything by yourself anymore."

"Okay. I understand. Thank you... really..." She smiled as two tears dripped from her eyes.

Kazuto held her gaze for a moment before he stood. He picked up the walker and pushed it to the corner of the room, the faulty wheel still lagging as he did so. He wanted nothing more than to throw the accursed thing against the wall, but he restrained from doing so.

He then retrieved Suguha's charm from the floor and headed toward the flower vase.

"Wait." Asuna spoke up. "I'll hold onto it tonight."

"Okay." Kazuto returned to her and placed the trinket into her palm.

"I can't wait to meet everyone else. It won't be much longer now." She sighed.

"Yeah." He agreed, trying to sound confident about everything.

He then leaned forward to hug her again. A slight pain shot through her chest, but Asuna made sure not to let the whimper escape her mouth. She raised her arms slightly to hug him back, holding onto him for a moment until he pulled away.

"Go straight to sleep." He ordered. "If something happens, call the nurse _immediately_."

"I'll be fine."

The way she kept saying that only served to make him more skeptic. "I'll leave a note to tell the nurse you went to bed early so she shouldn't wake you." He decided as he took a piece of paper from the table next to her bed and wrote out a message. He placed it on the table in plain sight so that it was easily visible from the door. He then kissed her hand before he walked to the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow. I love you.." He said as he flicked the lights off.

"See you tomorrow, Kirito-kun. I love you, too."

With those final words from her, Asuna closed her eyes as Kazuto closed the door behind him.

* * *

That night, Kazuto did not sleep very well.

The scene of Asuna falling kept playing out in his mind, and when he awoke the next morning he was still very tired. He took a shower, hoping to clear his mind and did feel a bit more awake when he reentered his room, rubbing a towel through his hair.

As he passed his bed, he noticed the screen of his cell phone blinking, indicating that he had a message. Quirking an eyebrow as he wondered who it could be, he held the phone to his ear as he listened.

"This message is intended for Kirigaya Kazuto-san from Tokorozawa General Hospital. There has been a troubling development regarding Yuuki Asuna-san's condition, and therefore we please request that you arrive at your earliest convenience."

Kazuto never even said goodbye to his family that morning as he raced out the door.

* * *

**A/N: Until next week.**

**Please review!**


	5. Hope

**I am so super sorry I didn't post this chapter on time. College and homework and normal work caught up with me. Please forgive me and please enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online.**

* * *

Chapter 5. Hope

The fear Kazuto had experienced from his nightmares manifested and clutched his heart as he peeled down the sidewalk on his bike.

His mind was a white slate, blank with fear as he skidded to a halt and jumped off, scrambling for footing as he burst into the building. The secretaries looked up, startled, but recognized him instantly and understood his plight. Kazuto made eye contact with one of them and she motioned him over. He took a long breath to steady himself before he went up to her.

"Yuuki-san's situation is getting more complicated now. Her parents will be arriving soon to discuss matters further with the staff." She informed hm.

Kazuto had no reply to her words and he briskly headed for the stairs.

He knocked on Asuna's door and Risa's voice permitted him to enter. Kazuto slid his card into the slot and stepped inside to find the nurse standing beside the bed.

Asuna sat there looking as pale as she had when she had first woken up, as though the weeks in between when she wore her healthy demeanor had all been an illusion. Her left arm was hooked up to the IV drip again, something she had been free of for several weeks now, so when he saw she was back to how she previously was, Kazuto flinched.

But other than these unsettling factors and the frown on Asuna's face, nothing else seemed to be cause for concern. Her breathing was normal as was her heart rate, and she did not seem to be in pain.

He cautiously crossed the room, offering a silent "good morning" to the nurse, but she did not seem to hear him. Kazuto sat on the edge of the bed and took Asuna's right hand in his. He said nothing, and neither did she, as they both understood what was coming.

"I'll get straight to the point then." Risa glared first at Kazuto and then at Asuna through her glasses. "You fell, didn't you?"

"Yes-" Asuna admitted, lowering her gaze.

"But it wasn't because her body wasn't recovering properly!" Kazuto quickly interjected. "She was doing everything perfectly fine! The walker just got jammed and made her fall. She wouldn't have if not for that damn thing..."

"I didn't ask how it happened." Risa said curtly. "I _specifically_ ordered you to contact me or someone on the staff if something happened, and you deliberately kept quiet about it. You thought you could hide it from us, but we are trained professionals." She gave Asuna another stern stare, and the girl shied away.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't even start with that."

Asuna flinched again and spoke no more.

"Risa-san..." Kazuto tried to speak, but she held her hand up.

"I didn't want to have to be the one to tell you this, but it appears you leave me no choice." She snorted. "Your wish to attend school on the first day was a myth from the start." Asuna felt she was about to cry and Kazuto had to bite his tongue to force himself to keep quiet before Risa continued.

"At least... that's what I should be saying." The nurse then sighed, losing her angry expression altogether as she lowered her voice. "But you proved to me that you could do it, so I decided to let you do your best under the single condition that you would notify me if something went wrong. Yet you couldn't even follow that rule." Her words were more regretful than angry now, as though she were upset they had not trusted her. "But this is the last thing I can do for you. You have ten days left before the new school term begins. For the next five days, you are forbidden to go through any of the exercises you've been practicing." The two of them gasped in dismay, but she went on, addressing Asuna specifically. "But if you can successfully complete the stages of both the walker and the cane in those last four days, I'll see to it that you are discharged on the fifth, the day before classes begin. If there is even one more mishap, this offer is void. Do I make myself _absolutely_ clear?"

Asuna and Kazuto met one another's eyes for a brief second before looking up at the nurse.

"Yes!" They chorused, bowing their heads in unison. "Thank you very much!"

The nurse let the smallest smile show on her lips. She lightly rested a hand on Asuna's shoulder.

"If it's you, I know you can do it." She said. Asuna met her eyes and held her gaze for a moment before nodding.

Just then, a knock came on the door. "It would appear your parents have arrived." Kazuto glanced at Asuna who swallowed audibly, and he silently prayed they would be able to persuade them to go along with Risa's suggestion.

The nurse opened the door and in stepped Asuna's parents.

In his short time knowing them, Kazuto had learned what stern people they were, so he expected them to be wearing grim expressions. However to his surprise, and evidently Asuna's as well, both her mother and father entered with brows furrowed and looking more than a little flustered.

Kazuto gave his girlfriend's hand one final squeeze before he stood and bowed to her parents, moving away from the bed.

"Mother... Father-" Asuna spoke in an attempt to greet them, with an uncertain voice as though not sure of what to say. But she was cut off by her mother's voice.

"Asuna." Kyouko spoke her name softly, but there was no anger in her tone as her daughter had expected. Asuna looked up cautiously as her mother moved to her bedside and took her daughter into her arms without another word.

Kazuto had to keep his jaw from dropping and even Shouzou seemed a little surprised, but he nodded once before turning to Risa.

Asuna sat frozen in place due to shock as her mother's warmth spread to her. But before she could snap herself out of her trance, her mother sat back and let her go. It was as though she then realized what an unusual side of herself she had just shown in front of so many people, so Kyouko stood and cleared her throat once, readjusting her glasses before walking past Kazuto to stand beside her husband.

"What happened here?" Shouzou asked the nurse with a steady voice.

"During her walking exercises, a wheel of the walker got jammed and she fell." Risa explained directly, and Kazuto could see their faces tighten with worry. "After a brief examination, we have deduced there was no major damage to her bones or organs, and she should return to rehabilitation after five days of rest."

"Five days?" Her mother parroted. "If nothing is wrong, then why must she wait five days?" There was something about the way she asked this question that let Kazuto believe that she, too, wished that Asuna could attend school.

"There was no major damage to her bones or organs," the nurse repeated. "However, it is apparent that her chest and stomach experience pain whenever she moves her torso."

At that point, all eyes turned to Asuna, as though to hear a confirmation or denial. Kazuto felt tense, as he knew Asuna could lie to them all right then and there and tell them she felt fine so that she could begin recovery again.

But to his relief, she bowed her head and confirmed in a small voice. "It's true."

Risa nodded before continuing to speak to Asuna's parents.

"Unfortunately, this is not the first time such an event has happened, but because of that, we know someone with your daughter's capabilities will be fully recovered within three days. I merely suggest the extra two to put your minds at ease."

Asuna's mother was silent as she seemed to mull things over, and her husband spoke next.

"The first term begins in ten days, correct? Will she be able to attend classes as she'd hoped?"

"I believe Asuna-san can complete the final stages of the rehabilitation process with at least one day to spare." Risa replied confidently.

Kazuto could see that Asuna was holding her breath and he remained silent as well as he watched her parents' expressions change from indecisive to affirmative. They shared a look between them and nodded once before Shouzou spoke again.

"Do you think you can do it, Asuna?" He addressed his daughter directly.

Asuna puffed out her chest and raised her chin, meeting her father's eyes seriously with an unwavering gaze. "I _know_ I can do it, Father."

He chuckled and gave a little nod. "Very well." He agreed.

"But you are _forbidden_ to go through any step of the procedure alone." Kyouko cut in instantly. "I don't care if the staff here says you can do it, I don't want you doing anything without someone else there to support you." Kazuto thought he saw her eyes flash to look at him, but could not be certain.

"I understand, Mother. Thank you." Asuna bowed her head as deeply as she could. Kazuto smiled at her before he realized he should be doing the same and he quickly bowed as well.

It was then when Shouzou changed the subject. "I just remembered," he said, his voice becoming gruff as he spoke to his wife. "Did you hear that Sugou's trial is over?"

As he spoke that name, Kazuto felt his blood run cold for a second before it began to boil with rage. But when he glanced at Asuna, he realized she was pale again, and must have been reliving the terrible things that man had done to her. Kazuto silently went back to sit beside her and held onto her hand as Kyouko replied to her husband.

"I did hear, and I still don't think that's an acceptable punishment." She sounded annoyed, as though just thinking about the man disgusted her greatly. It appeared they did not intend to speak any more about the matter, but just before the topic could drop, Asuna raised her voice.

"What happened...to Sugou-san?" She asked quietly.

The others were clearly taken aback at her question, and although Kazuto was wondering as well, he did not think Asuna would bring herself to ask. Her parents shared another look before Kyouko replied to her daughter's query.

"Asuna. There is absolutely no reason for you to use honorifics on that man's name. Your father and I have officially cut all ties with him and no longer consider him a part of the family." She declared.

"But if you want to know," Shouzou continued. "He and his team have been apprehended and their experimentation plans have been fully exposed. Sugou's received 20 years in prison, and you'll never have to see him again." Both Kazuto and Asuna visibly relaxed and smiled slightly.

Her parents only stayed a few minutes longer before saying goodbye to Asuna and following Risa out, leaving Kazuto alone with their daughter.

"Are you okay?" He murmured, rubbing his palm over the back of her hand.

"Yeah. I'd forgotten all about him until just now, but I guess it's made me feel a little better in knowing he won't be able to hurt anyone else."

"Yeah. I'm kind of glad I got to hit him a few times." He mumbled, absently brushing his fingers over his left cheek where the cut Sugou had inflicted on him had previously been.

A moment of silence passed between them, interrupted by the insistent beeping of the IV machine.

"Neh, Asuna," he said, looking up at her. "I probably won't be coming by as much for the next few days. I'll come in the evenings, but that's all. I feel that if I came to be with you all day, we'd just get frustrated about not being able to do anything."

"I understand. I feel the same way." She admitted. "Although I'll be a little lonely until the evenings then."

"I know. I'm sorry. But this'll be for the best in the end. Just take it easy for the next few days."

"Okay." She agreed.

"I'll stay with you for the rest of today, though." He reassured her, shifting a little to be closer to her and pulling her in to rest her head on his shoulder.

Just as he promised, Kazuto remained by her side for the rest of the day, but once the sun had began to set, he kissed her goodbye knowing he would not see her tomorrow morning.

"What are you going to do instead?" She wondered curiously.

"I have something in mind. You'll see." He ruffled her hair gently before kissing her forehead. "Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night. I love you."

"I love you, too."

At last, he managed to stand and part with her, already wishing it was tomorrow evening.

* * *

For the next several days, Kazuto did a bit of asking around, talking to certain people in order to locate others.

Each day, he went to a different place and talked to a different person before he would head over to the hospital to see Asuna. He brought her books for her to read during the next day and would talk with her and see how she was doing.

By the third day, she truly was better, but they stuck to their promise not to do anything until the fifth day.

Those five days were admittedly long and a little frustrating, but when the fourth evening came around, the usual energy buzzed between them as they prepared to enter the final stage of making their little dream come true at last.

* * *

Kazuto sprung out of bed on the fifth morning since Asuna's fall.

Today, they could finally resume her walking exercises, but Kazuto was also excited for something else.

After he got dressed, he grabbed a small black backpack that held several items he had prepared ahead of time as he rushed down the stairs into the kitchen.

"Ah, good morning, Kazuto-kun." His aunt smiled.

"Good morning. Morning, Sugu." He nodded to them both in turn as he sat down at the table to wait for his toast to be finished.

"Morning, Onii-chan." Suguha beamed up at him. "Neh, are you giving that to Asuna-san today?" She asked.

"Yeah." He nodded. "I can't wait to see her face."

"I can't wait to meet her. Only five more days!" Suguha gave a little bounce of anticipation before she lowered her voice. "She's... she's okay now, right?"

"Yeah." Kazuto cleared his throat as he plucked his toast from the toaster. His aunt placed a plate of eggs before him and took her seat beside him. "Today she can start walking again."

"That's a relief." Midori sighed. "When you told me what happened, I was sure they'd forbid it, but it seems she have a very kind nurse."

"You're right." Kazuto realized the truth in her words as he began to eat. He knew he would have to do something as thanks to Risa, and made a note in the back of his mind. "Well then, I'm off." He announced as he stood.

"Have a safe trip." Midori replied. "And send Asuna-san our love."

"I will."

Kazuto left the house in a hurry, relishing the feeling of the air tugging through his hair. He had noticed that the days were gradually becoming warmer, and the promise of spring was on the wind.

He was eager to give Asuna what he carried in his backpack, so he pedaled quickly to his destination.

He had walked the path from the parking area to the building so many times that he could almost see the marks of his previous footsteps in the concrete. He skipped two steps at a time until he reached the second floor, rounded the corner, and gave two knocks on that door.

"Come in!" Her sweet voice sounded as excited as he felt, and Kazuto stepped in a little breathless. "Good morning, Kirito-kun!" Asuna smiled. "Risa-san said we could start as soon as you got here, so I'm ready!"

"Morning. And I'm ready, too. But before that..." He trailed off as he slid the straps of his backpack off his shoulders and sat down on the edge of her bed. Asuna tilted her head to one side out of curiosity and peered over his shoulder as he unzipped it.

Kazuto then pulled out one object in each hand, one being his phone and the other a folded piece of paper.

He first fiddled around with his phone for a moment before holding it out to her, and Asuna blinked in confusion as he encouraged her to take it. She accepted the cell phone and glanced down at the screen to find there was a black video player with the play button highlighted in white.

"What's-?"

"Just press play." He told her.

Asuna asked no further questions and returned her gaze to the phone, tentatively pressing her right index finger onto the Play button.

After a few seconds of loading, she could hear Kazuto's voice coming from the recorder: "Okay, ready? Go."

She was about to ask him what she was looking at, since the screen displayed a green forested area, but before she could get the words out, they hitched in her throat.

A delightfully familiar face was looking back at her, her clear, black eyes staring into Asuna as though she were truly there. Her white dress was brighter than freshly-fallen snow, and her flowing onyx hair spread behind her like a dark pool of silk. She smiled brightly as she spoke in her chipper voice that was like birdsong: "Mama! It's Yui!" She beamed.

Asuna covered her mouth with one hand as she felt tears welling in her eyes. She looked up at Kazuto quickly in an attempt to ask him more questions, but he just placed his finger against his lips and nodded back toward the phone. Asuna blinked the blurriness out of her vision as she returned her gaze to the video.

"I know this is only a recording," Yui said. "But I'll pretend like I'm right there with you! Papa told me everything that happened, and I'm really glad you're okay now, Mama! I miss you a lot, and I want to see you again as soon as possible, but make sure you get better safely before anything else!" She paused for a moment, looking at the ground as she struggled for words. "I know you can make your dream come true! So right after that, make sure you come and see me, okay? I love you, Mama!" Just before the screen returned to black, Yui had opened her arms wide and smiled.

Asuna felt the tears dripping off her face as she longed to rush into that embrace.

It took her a minute before she could find her voice again, and she sniffed as she spoke to Kazuto once more.

"How... did you do this?" She wondered.

"Well you know, after messing around with some of the wiring and programs, I eventually found a way to record a video online and save it to my phone."

"I don't even know what to say..."

"Then how about you take another minute to think and give this a read." Kazuto pulled out the folded paper and exchanged it for his cell phone. Asuna realized it was actually a card, with the words "Dear Asuna" written elegantly on the front. She carefully opened it up to see the inside pages filled with several small, written paragraphs, and Asuna squinted a little as she began reading.

The first paragraph she saw was written in the largest characters:

_ Yo, Asuna-san! It's been a while! I've met Kirito IRL and he's just as great a guy as he was online, but he's still a bit of a goof, so make sure you take good care of him. Get better soon so I can meet you, too. -**Klein**. _

Underneath that was a slightly longer paragraph, and although Asuna had never seen this person's handwriting before, she could instantly tell who it was:

_Hey, Asuna! I was really ticked off that that idiot Klein got the best spot for writing (he cut in front of me so he could write first, what a child). But I hope you're doing well. I miss you so much, and I'm dying to meet you. Take it easy and get better soon. I'll see you in school! ~**Love Rika (Liz). **_

Asuna chuckled to herself as she read each paragraph, imagining each person speaking those words to her directly:

_ Hi, Asuna-san! I hope you're okay! We've only met a few times, but I really admire you, and I hear you're just as amazing in real life. We can totally go shopping together with Rika-chan sometime! I hope we're in some classes together! -**Keiko, aka Silica. **_

The next paragraph seemed like the most formally written:

_ Asuna-san, I hope this letter finds you in good health. Everyone's always asking about you, so we'll have to arrange a meet-up at my shop sometime soon. See you then! -**Andrew/Agil.**_

The last of the long paragraphs was written in a cutesy style:

_Hello, Asuna-san. Onii-chan has told me so much about you, and I've heard tons of amazing things on the Internet! I can't wait to meet you! Please take care of my klutzy Onii-chan! -**Suguha**. _

There were a few other sentences written by Kazuto's aunt, as well as several other names she did not recognize, but Asuna still felt happy enough to start crying again, smiling all the while.

"So this was what you were doing these past few days." She nudged him playfully.

"You got me."

Asuna wiped her tears away before folding the card again. Kazuto stood and placed it next to her flower vase on the table near her bed and retrieved the little charm, knowing she would have asked for it anyway.

"Are you ready?" He asked.

"I'm even more motivated than ever before." She replied, sliding the covers off of her body and dragging her legs to the side of the bed.

Kazuto brought over the new walker the nurse had left them, making sure to check it over thoroughly before he deemed it safe for her to use.

Handing her the charm, he helped her stand as she gripped the handles and pulled herself up.

At first, she was nervous that the five days of being confined to her bed would have resulted in her body forgetting what it had learned since then, yet before very long, she was moving forward.

Just as he had agreed to, Kazuto supported her no matter how well she was doing, his eyes constantly glancing down at the wheels of the walker to make sure they were still turning properly.

Whenever Asuna needed to rest, she managed to stay on her feet, unlike previously when she had needed to sit down.

By lunch time, she could walk in fluent movements without hesitation in between each step. They stopped to eat for half an hour before going straight back to the exercises.

By the time Risa came in to check on their progress, Asuna demonstrated that she could walk at a normal, slow pace. She still needed the support of the walker, but not nearly as much as she had needed it before.

"I must admit, I'm very impressed." The nurse said. "Although, knowing you, Asuna-san, I probably should have expected this."

Asuna turned her face away slightly due to a faint blush.

"So does this mean...?" Kazuto did not want to sound too hasty, but he felt it was appropriate.

"I believe so." Risa confirmed. "Tomorrow you can start with the final stage and trade the walker out for just the cane. The only thing left now is just to improve her posture."

Asuna could not contain the excited squeal that burst from her lips and she clutched tightly onto Kazuto's arm.

"Thank you, Risa-san!" Kazuto grinned widely.

"Don't thank me." She shook her head. "I just permitted or denied what you could and couldn't do, but you two did all the real work. You made it this far on your own."

With those words she left them sitting alone together on the bed.

"She's right, you know." Kazuto murmured, pulling Asuna in beside him.

"Yeah. We did it, Kirito-kun."

"Well, to be honest, it was mostly you." He pointed out.

"Yes, but if you weren't here to support me - both figuratively and literally -" she said with a little laugh. "I never could have made it this far. So thank you." She nuzzled her face into his shoulder.

"And thank _you,_" he kissed the top of her head. "For just...being you. Ah, gosh that sounded lame..."

"No, it was cute!" She giggled.

"C-Cute?"

"Mm-hm!" She nodded. "Thank you for being you, too, Kirito-kun!" Her voice then became a little lower, more serious, but the smile remained on her face. "I'm really glad I met you, Kirito-kun."

"I'm glad I met you, too. After two years of fighting, we can finally be together like this..." He had to hold back his own tears as various memories flashed before his eyes, shuddering when he remembered how she had died in his arms once, and he instinctively hugged her tighter.

They stayed like that for a while, until the setting sun casted its golden light through the white curtains, filling the room with a natural, pale glow.

Asuna began to nod off, so Kazuto helped her back into bed before he stood to leave.

But before that, he leaned down and they shared a long, gentle kiss, a kiss that spoke beyond words of the toils they had surpassed and the strengths they had gained together.

Then, Kazuto regrettably pulled away. "Good night, Asuna." His voice was full of affection.

"Good night, Kirito-kun. I love you." Her hazel eyes shimmered.

"I love you, too." He kissed her forehead one last time before heading for the door. He turned off the lights and left her room, realizing this would be one of the last times he would have to do so.

And as he rode his bike home through the cool evening air, his heart stayed warm with thoughts of the girl he loved so dearly, and the dream they would soon be making into a reality.

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**A/N: Apologies again for the lateness, but I hope it was worth the wait! **

**See you next week (on time!) for the final chapter!**

**Please review!**


	6. Dream

**Again, sorry for all the terrible inaccuracies and whatnot, so thanks if you stuck with me this long! Final chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online.**

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Chapter 6. Dream

The air was warm with the promise of spring, as flower petals began to peek up from the hard soil, sharing their vibrant colors with the world that had waited two seasons to see them again.

Kazuto got changed into his new school uniform that morning, and was presently finishing his breakfast with his cousin as his aunt started up her car. There was excitement wafting through the air, enough to create an atmosphere that was just about bursting with anticipation.

There was still an hour until the opening ceremonies at the school began, and the first day would be solely formalities and speeches before students were released for the latter half of the day. But still, Kazuto felt the need to take it very seriously, and so he finished eating with time to spare.

His family followed his lead and ate quickly before they all got into the car, and his aunt drove them to the hospital. During the peaceful car ride, he rolled down his window and let the morning breeze caress his face, a luxury he had not been able to receive once since heading to the hospital. But he knew that today would be the last day he would ever have to go to this place.

After several minutes of driving, they arrived in the parking lot area to the building, and Kazuto and Suguha each picked up a small bouquet of flowers they had purchased in advance. The three of them entered the hospital in their formal clothing and drew a bit of attention from other people in the large space of the waiting area.

The first person Kazuto spotted was Risa, and he walked over to her before presenting her with his bouquet of yellow and white flowers. She was clearly taken aback.

"K-Kazuto-san," she whispered, flustered. "Don't you think these flowers should be for someone else?"

"I have more." He grinned. "But those are for you, Risa-san. Both Asuna and I felt we needed to repay you somehow after all you've done for us. You pushed for us to be able to go through with the procedures even when we disobeyed you, and I'm certain it wasn't easy to bargain with the higher-ups about such things. So thank you, Risa-san."

It was evident she was rendered speechless by what he said, and he thought he saw a flash of emotion in her eyes that was not due to her glasses. She bowed once in gratitude before motioning Kazuto and his family to follow her.

She led them to a quieter, more secluded area of the hospital's waiting room, where four people stood together. The father, mother, and son all stood up straight and formally, defending their family's reputation for sternness. But as Kazuto approached them, he could tell their eyes were sparkling with pride for the fourth person that stood with them.

When Kazuto saw her, however, he needed to stop walking for a moment just to gaze at her.

Since she had woken up, he had only ever seen her wear those long, white hospital robes that were too large for her. But now she sparkled with a completely new aura.

Dressed in the female version of the very same uniform he wore, even as she leaned slightly sideways onto the cane in her right hand, Asuna looked positively stunning. Her uniform fit very well, although it was clear that she still had some weight to put back on. Her long, chestnut hair cascaded down her back in a shining waterfall, but with a small section braided at the top, the trademark hairstyle she had worn all the time in SAO, but never before in the real world until today.

The two families were silent for a moment as they stood several paces apart, silently looking the others over. Kazuto could see the delight in Asuna's eyes as she caught sight of him and his family, and he was sure Suguha was bouncing with excitement right about now.

But before the pause held out long enough to be considered rude, Kazuto cleared his throat. "Auntie, Sugu, these are Asuna's parents," he nodded toward the pair that stood like a couple of owls who nodded back in return. "And this is her elder brother," Kouichirou too gave a single nod in response before Kazuto rested his eyes upon the final person. "And this... is Asuna."

The three of them then bowed in unison to the Yuuki family.

Next it was Asuna herself who spoke. "Mother, Father, Onii-chan, this is Kiri- Ah, or rather, Kazuto-kun's aunt, his little cousin," she gazed at them both happily as she introduced them with ease, even though she had never met them before in her lfie. "And of course, Kazuto-kun."

The Yuuki family then bowed together in a similar manner to what the Kirigayas had done previously.

Then, the formal atmosphere cracked and shattered to be replaced by a much more easygoing air.

Their parents began to chat about how grateful they were for the other family's support. Kazuto and Suguha stood before Asuna and Kouichirou, who was eyeing Kazuto like a hawk, as if to inspect his little sister's boyfriend to make sure he was worthy.

"Onii-chan," Asuna whispered. "Stop that every time you see him. You'll scare him away!"

"Ah, sorry." He blinked himself out of his hunter mode and Kazuto relaxed.

He embraced Asuna in a light hug, but only briefly, as too long would be inappropriate in this situation. Asuna managed to hug him back a little with her free arm before they pulled apart. Suguha then stepped up to her.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Asuna-san! I'm Suguha!" She flipped her hair over her head as she bowed swiftly. "I've heard almost everything about you from Onii-chan."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Suguha-chan!" Asuna returned the bow. "I've also heard a lot about you from a certain person. If not for your help, he might never have found me in time." Kazuto blushed a little as she said this, but Suguha's and Asuna's faces were also slightly pink at the thought of someone else having talked about them to other people.

"Oh!" Suguha finally seemed to recall the bouquet she was holding. "These are for you." She handed the mix of yellow, pink, red, and white flowers over to Asuna.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Asuna could not contain the small sound of surprise as she accepted the flowers. She held them to her face and breathed in the springlike scent that wreathed around her. "Ah, this reminds me! Onii-chan, please." She hated to hand the bouquet over for him to hold so soon, but she required the use of her free left hand. She reached into her blazer's pocket to retrieve a small trinket, and Suguha's eyes widened in recognition. "It's the charm you sent me!" Asuna announced. "I know it's a part of what made my standing here today possible. So thank you, Suguha-chan."

Asuna opened her left arm to the side, inviting the younger girl in for a hug. Suguha's happy expression quickly turned nervous and she looked around from Kazuto to Asuna to Kouichirou. The three of them chuckled a little before Asuna replied. "It's okay, you can hug me! I won't break so easily!"

But Suguha still gave her cousin an uncertain glance.

"It's fine!" Kazuto grinned and ruffled her hair. "You saw me hugging her just now, right?"

Finally seeming convinced, Suguha took a shy step forward and slowly lifted her arms, placing them loosely around Asuna's shoulders. Asuna wrapped her left arm around Suguha's back as they finally came together. There was a mutual feeling of emotion that washed over the two of them then, as though they were long-lost sisters, and they each laughed lightly as several tears began to fall, their brothers looking on in quiet content.

At last, Suguha stepped back and Asuna let her go, and both of them wiped the tears from their faces while still managing to maintain their smiles.

Then, it was Asuna's mother who spoke up.

"Oh my, we should get going." Kyouko said after glancing at a clock on the wall.

The rest of them agreed as they all began walking toward the exit of the hospital. The secretaries, Risa, and several other members of the staff bowed to them, wishing them well as they saw off one of their most exceptional patients at long last.

When the families had reached the parking lot, they temporarily parted ways as they got into their cars.

"I'll see you at school." Kazuto said to Asuna as her brother helped her into her seat.

"Right. See you soon!" She replied.

As Kazuto sat down and his aunt started the car, he could see that Suguha who sat behind him, could not keep the happy expression from her face.

"So, do you like her?" Kazuto asked teasingly.

"You dummy! What kind of question is that? Of course I like her!"

"I can tell." He and his aunt both chuckled. "She wanted to make sure you understood the extent of her gratitude for all your support."

"M-Me? I didn't do anything..." She blushed, looking down.

"You did more than you think."

Suguha remained silent for the remainder of the ride, and they soon pulled into the school parking lot. It was already half full, and Kazuto was suddenly overcome with a bit of nervousness as he imagined the kind of people he would find inside. _These are all of the people who survived SAO, and technically that's thanks to Asuna and I. I wonder what kind of people they are..._

He tried not to stereotype the avatars he had seen online for the people they truly belonged to. He also knew that a portion of the older players, like Klein and Agil, would obviously not be attending school. _But that doesn't matter_, Kazuto thought as the Yuuki's car pulled into the driveway. _Because I have the only person I need here with me. _

Kouichirou helped Asuna out of the car before the two families began making their way toward the school. Many people had already gathered in the gymnasium, and it was a bit crowded, so Kazuto took extra care to leave Asuna enough space. He knew this could be overwhelming for her and that if she started to feel unwell they would have to leave immediately. But as she gazed around the unfamiliar building and dozens of new faces, the only thing that showed on her face was sheer excitement.

Their group entered the gymnasium to find it full of chairs that were filling up quickly. Normally in such a kind of ceremony, students would have been assigned seats in advance by name, but it was clear that the staff of the school had been busy with various other things until this point and it could not be arranged.

"This seems a bit unorganized, don't you think?" By nature, Kyouko could not keep silent about such a thing and she pushed her glasses further up onto her nose.

"Now, now. It's fine, isn't it dear?" Shouzou said calmly. She gave a little snort of contempt but said nothing more.

They sat in a single row, Asuna and Kazuto somehow managing to get seats beside one another with their respective siblings on their other sides.

"Are you feeling okay?" Kazuto asked as he found her left hand with his right.

"Yes, I'm fine." She reassured with a smile, squeezing his hand. "Neh, Kirito-kun, can you see anyone? Is Liz here? What about Silica-chan?"

"It's bad manners to use your character's name in real life." He warned her. "Here they're Rika and Keiko."

"Ah, I see." She nodded. "But I don't think I'll be able to stop calling you Kirito-kun so easily."

"That's fine..." He mumbled, ducking his head shyly; to be honest he liked when she called him Kirito, because he knew when she was using his real name, it was for something important, meaningful. "If you feel sick at any time, let me know right away."

"I will." She agreed. "Thanks, Kirito-kun."

Kazuto continued to look around for a few more minutes, trying to match any of these faces to characters he had used to know. He had already met several people in real life, like Rika and Keiko, but aside from a few others, he was unfamiliar with any of the faces in the room.

However, it was evident that the opposite was true about Asuna and himself. Although they wore the same uniforms as everyone else, they stood out a great deal for some reason. It was probably due to Asuna's memorable long, chestnut hair that drew attention to her, and then when people saw the boy she was sitting with, they would piece things together quickly.

Kazuto heard all sorts of hushed whispers from around them.

"Neh, neh! Isn't that the Black Swordsman?"

"Are you serious? That's Kirito-san, right?"

"He's the one who beat the game isn't he?"

"And next to him is the Flash?"

"What?! No way! That's Asuna-san?"

"Oh my gosh, she's gorgeous!"

"She was the vice captain for the KoB!"

"I remember her! Wasn't she trapped in ALO though?"

"Yeah, I heard about that! But it seems Kirito-san saved her!"

As the voices continued to chat away, Kazuto's and Asuna's faces grew redder and redder from embarrassment.

"They... they know everything about us, don't they?" Asuna whispered.

"It seems so..."

At one point, there was a chorus of both male and female voices mentioning how cute they were together, and they immediately let go of one another's hands. But this only caused more whispers of "Ah! They heard us!", "They're embarrassed! So cute!" and "They're so perfect together!" to rise up.

They knew there was no helping it now, so they returned to holding hands, fighting to keep the blushes from their faces.

At last, announcements for silence began to ring out from the stage and the ceremony began.

The principal of the school gave a brief background on the purpose of the school and details behind its construction. The speeches went on for only about an hour until all students were asked to rise.

Asuna leaned onto her cane as Kazuto supported her and together they stood up along with the hundreds of other students. The order to bow was given, and they all spoke the greeting "Please take care of us!" in unison. After that, they were dismissed for the rest of the day, and the crowd began to disperse.

"I still can't believe I really got to be here today." Asuna murmured as they began to move out of the gymnasium.

"Well believe it, because it's the truth." Kazuto grinned, still tightly holding onto her hand.

"I can't wait to start lessons!" She continued, passionately. "So much has changed in the world since I was last here! I want to learn about everything!"

"Of course we'll study everything together." Kazuto predicted. "And I'll wait for you every morning to walk with you to school, and every afternoon to walk you home."

"I look forward to it!"

Just then, Suguha came bounding up. "Neh, Onii-chan, isn't that the spot?" She said, pointing to a small clearing on the school's campus. There was a tiled floor and several benches and tables outside in the grass, all of which were surrounded by many colorful flowers.

"That's it!" Kazuto said before turning back to Asuna. "Come with me for a minute. There are some people who have been waiting to meet you."

Asuna followed him over to the lunch area, the air alive with chatter and the occasional drifting flower petal.

The first person to approach them was a girl with long, fluffy, brown hair. Kazuto just barely recognized her as one of the regulars at Agil's cafe, but he had never really gotten to talk to her formerly. She had a mature face but was undeniably cute, and she spoke to them in a polite manner.

"Pleased to meet you, Asuna-san, Kirito-san! You'll probably remember me as Yoruko." She presented them with a grateful smile that was exactly like her character's had been.

"Y-Yoruko-san!" Asuna gasped. "I can't believe it!" Kazuto let go of Asuna's left hand so she could shake hands with the other girl.

"Yo!" He raised a hand to her. "It's been a while."

Yoruko bowed politely. "I'll see you both at Agil-san's party this weekend, right?" She checked.

"You will!" He replied.

"Wonderful!" She wished them both goodbye before scurrying off into the crowd.

"What party?" Asuna wondered.

"Ah, guess we've been found out." Kazuto scratched his head sheepishly. "Agil's throwing a get-together at his shop this weekend, and the lot of us were going to surprise you with it, but I guess it's best that you knew in advance anyway. It's the only way you'll be able to meet Agil-san and Klein anyway, since they don't attend this school."

"I see." She tried to sound calm but it did not last long. "I can't wait to meet them!" She gave a little bounce of anticipation. "And Yui-chan, too! My parents said I'm not allowed to dive for at least another week, but I'm dying to see her!"

"I'll let her know." He promised. "And I know for a fact she feels the same way. Every time before I log off, she always hugs me twice and says "that one's for Mama!" and just about squeezes the life out of me." Asuna giggled, imagining Yui hugging him so hard.

Not a minute later, two more girls spotted them. Asuna caught their gazes and immediately knew who they were. She could not help from calling out their names instantly.

"L...Liz! Silica-chan!"

"A-Asuna!" Rika shouted back before tearing off into a run with Keiko at her side. Kazuto stepped away and watched, amused as Rika screeched to a halt two feet away from Asuna, forcing herself to cancel the hug she surely had in mind when she saw her friend holding onto a cane.

But Asuna dropped that cane and quite literally threw herself forward into Rika's arms, closing the distance between them in an instant.

"Whoa!" Rika caught her hastily. "H-Hey, don't be so reckless!"

But Asuna did not hear her friend's scolding voice. "Liz!" She cried.

Kazuto saw Rika's expression shift from startled and a little panicked to blissful and emotional as she hugged Asuna back. "It's... great to see finally see you again... for real..." She sniffed, failing to contain her tears.

Asuna wept over Rika's shoulder as well, clutching onto her as though to confirm her friend was truly there. They remained that way until a few minutes had passed, and then slowly moved apart.

"Hello, Silica-chan! It's nice to meet you!" Asuna wiped her face and addressed the girl with pigtails who was slightly shorter than she was.

"So you're Asuna-san..." She sounded dazzled, as though she were gazing up at an angel. "I know I'd see you around in the KoB before, but you beat the game together with Kirito-san!" She quickly wrapped her arms around Asuna's torso. "Thank you for all of your hard work!" Asuna did not know what to say in return, so she merely hugged Keiko back.

Once they had finished their tearful reunion, the four of them eagerly talked about things such as what classes they would be taking together, where they lived, and what places they would like to go eat and shop at together.

It was about ten minutes into the conversation when Kazuto realized Asuna was still standing without her cane and he quickly picked it up.

"Well, I guess you don't even really need this anymore." He muttered with a slight grin.

"Ah! I didn't even notice!" She gasped. "I guess I was so happy to see Liz and Silica-chan that my body decided to finish getting back to normal!" They all smiled and laughed a little, fully able to admit it was the case.

They talked for a while longer before Kazuto heard someone calling him from afar.

"Onii-chan! It's almost time to go!" Suguha called out. She had been standing with her mother, talking to a group of girls that appeared to be her age, yet it seemed both Kazuto's aunt and Asuna's family were prepared to leave after having some conversations of their own.

"Thanks!" He called back before returning his attention to Rika and Keiko. "Well, I'll see you guys this weekend right?"

"Yep!" Rika grinned. "Take care of Asuna for me until then." She held out her fist and Kazuto bumped his knuckles against hers.

"Bye, Liz." Asuna gave her best friend one last hug. "I gave you my email, right?"

"You did! I'll message you as soon as I get home!" She promised.

"Me, too!" Keiko added proudly.

They all wished one another farewell as Rika and Keiko left them.

Kazuto and Asuna stood there for a moment longer, surrounded by their fellows players who were now their classmates. They closed their eyes and let the voices around them fade away until it was just the sound of the wind they heard.

"We did it, Kirito-kun." Asuna spoke softly as he reopened his eyes.

"Yeah." He moved closer to her. "Our dream finally came true." He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and silently asked for her consent. She gave a shy nod before lifting her chin.

They kissed lovingly, and it was unlike any of the kisses they had shared before. Unlike the first kiss, it was not uncertain or nervous, but rather passionate and strong, yet still gentle enough to convey every ounce of affection they held within their souls for the other person. Kazuto was sure he heard a chorus of squeals rise up from somewhere around them, but he continued to kiss Asuna for as long as he could.

A moment later, they broke apart, smiling, slightly breathless, but entirely joyful. They gazed into one another's eyes, deep onyx locking with sweet hazel before they shared one last embrace.

"I love you, Asuna." He murmured.

"I love you, too, Kazuto-kun." She breathed.

Finally, they pulled apart.

"Come on." He said. "They're waiting for us."

"Right." She beamed, taking his hand in hers. "Let's go!"

Together they began walking, hand in hand, down the path that would lead to their future, the future where they would make even more of their dreams come true, the future they would face just as they were now: side by side.

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**A/N: Well I do hope you could enjoy this little untold part of their story! **

**A few things: again, sorry for all the inaccuracies, medical-wise.  
I also thought they revealed Yoruko's real name, but apparently not, which is why I still had to address her as her avatar's name. If anyone has and info on her real name, please let me know!**

**Also! Some people pointed out that this story should be the first in a set of SAO stories I've written. It would work well to say Side By Side preceded Moments, and The Miracle Of Loving You will take place after that. If you're interested, please give those a read as well!**

**Thank you all for the support and kind reviews, not just for this story but for all the years I've been writing. If not for readers like you, I never would have made it to my 200th fanfiction, and more.**

**Thank you! And please review!**


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